This week, as we look forward to the first day of spring on March 20 and the beginning of a new growing season, it is a fitting time to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture in the United States. Why celebrate agriculture? As the world population soars, there is even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States.

As Americans, we should all understand how our food, fiber, and renewable resource products are produced and appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant, and affordable food for our families. Agriculture plays an essential role in our nation’s economy, providing career opportunities for future generations in farming and supporting industries.

In celebration of agriculture, consider the following fun facts that are representative of many of the products that we take for granted. Americans consume 17.3 billion

quarts of popped popcorn each year! The average person eats about 68 quarts.

Over the years, popcorn has been added as an ingredient in cereal, pudding, candy, soup, salad, and entrees.

The same chemicals that give tart cherries their color may relieve pain better than aspirin and ibuprofen in humans.

Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family.

In the United States, lettuce is the second most popular fresh vegetable.

The egg shell may have as many as 17,000 tiny pores over its surface. Through them, the egg can absorb flavors and odors. Storing them in their cartons helps keep them fresh.

It takes 24 to 26 hours for a hen to produce an egg; there is 30 minutes between each eggproducing cycle.

There are over 500 different types of bananas. That means if you ate a different kind of banana every day, it would take almost a year and a half to eat one of each type.

Last year, 1.3 million pounds of pasta were sold in American grocery stores. If you lined up 1.3 million pounds of 16 oz. spaghetti packages, it could circle the Earth’s equator almost nine times!

Apples are a member of the rose family.

Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.

About 3 billion pizzas are sold in the United States each

year.

Last Chance for Pesticide Applicator Recertification CreditsPenn State Extension in Butler County is holding its last pesticide applicator recertification meeting for the year on Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Butler County Extension Office. Cost is $5 per person. Registration is required bycalling 724-287-4761.Topics to be presented include: understanding the agricultural health study, what’s new for agronomic weed control in 2009, and herbicide resistance in weeds.The meeting has been approved for 2 Core (00) and 2 Category (PC Private, 01 Agronomic, 18 R&D) credits.For your pesticide applicator license needs, try visiting the PaPlants Web site at www.paplants.state.pa.us.

Join us at Ag/Dairy DayPenn State Extension and participating agribusinesses would like to encourage agricultural producers to attend Ag/Dairy Day on Thursday in Shafer Auditorium (Henderson Campus Center) on the Allegheny College campus in Meadville. Cost is $3 per person, which includes conference proceedings and lunch. Registration is requested by calling 814-333-7460.The event opens at 8:30 a.m. with over 40 agribusinesses on exhibit. The program starts at 10:20 a.m. Presentations include: The Crawford County Farm Project Update: Reducing Crop Inputs with Continuous Cover Crops and Introducing Renewable Oilseed Crops to Northwest Pa.; Carbon and Nutrient Credits: How to Leverage their Value; Making Planting Decisions for 2009; Managing Crop Inputs in a High Cost Environment; and Organizing Your Dairy Farm for Peak Financial Performance.

This material is submitted by Donna Zang, extension director, and the staff of the Penn State Extension office at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center complex.