As we take time to reflect on the important things in life, I just want to say thank you for all you have done for my family; society; and the economy. From the days of Adam in the Bible to this day, you the farmer have played the most important role throughout history. We say thanks.

While the men and women of old have done their parts, and have their places in history, whether feeding us spiritually, emotionally, or socially, it is you, the farmer who have kept us nourished, strong and healthy. We say thanks.

You have faced many difficult circumstances, pest, disease, floods, and droughts, all sorts of severe weather extremes. You have faced opposition and competition, persecution and deprivation. Without you there would be much starvation. We say thanks.

It is because of you that we are able to go through life, having our different jobs. It is because of your passion, your blood, your sweat, your tears and your hard labor that the world is able to function. We say thanks.

Some seem to think that the discovery of oil is what makes the world operate, but I beg to differ. It is you that makes the world operate. Without your sowing, cultivating and harvesting, we could not survive. For thousands of years before the discovery of oil, you fed the world; you kept the human engine running. We say thanks.

We hear, talk and give credit to the economy of the world. However, without you the farmer, there would be no economy. We say thanks.

This generation cannot fathom how the previous generation did without cell phones, iPads, iPods, PDAs, computers, Internet, social media, and the list goes on and on. We have not stopped to think how the farmer has nourished our bodies and minds to obtain this knowledge. We say thanks.

With our politicians, athletes, and celebrities treated as heroes, we can rightfully give credit to the men and women who serve in our uniform and armed services around the world. However, our farmers make this service possible. Without our farmers, there would be no politicians, athletes, or celebrities. We say thanks.

We can never overstate or over-simplify when it comes to talking about farmers and how they benefit us and how important they are to our survival. Whether we think local, import, or foreign, our farmers keep the world going. We say thanks.

Voyages, over sea by boat, in air by planes, or on land by cars and even into space, would not be possible without food. It is because of the passion of the farmers that makes our life simpler. We say thanks.

Stop one minute and imagine the world without electricity, running water, phones, computers, Internet or any other conveniences. However, imagine if our farmers stop producing fruits, vegetables, meat, and grain. Those other conveniences would not be so important now. We say thanks.

Because of farmers, we can pursue other ventures; we can climb the highest mountains and reach the lowest valleys. We can stay in our air-conditioned homes and offices instead of laboring in the heat, battling the wind and rain, fighting off pest and disease. Thanks to the farmers sacrifice, our lives are easier. We say thanks.

The world may be in turmoil; the dependence on other countries for food; the possibility for food shortages, wars and rumors of wars; oil may stop flowing, but we will survive as long as the farmers keep producing. We say thanks.

Oil, computers, the Internet, advancements in medicine, the discovery of electricity among other discoveries have played their part in our lives and should be recognized. However, you the farmer have been the beginning before these discoveries and the ending after they have passed. We thank God for giving you the knowledge, strength, and patience to till the soil and raise the products so that we can have the bounty we do. We say thanks.

May your hands always be fruitful and multiply.

May your hard work and labor be vegetated bountifully.

May your lives and households harvest a long life.

May your children and grandchildren reap a beautiful legacy.

May your sweat and tears sow rich blessings forever and ever and may God richly bless you.

Amen.