Baxter County Farm Bureau,  Food Check Out

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Baxter County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee celebrated the national observance of Food Check Out week, Feb. 21-27,  with a display at Harp’s Food Store and Town and Country Food Store.   At these stores, women handed out information on the food pyramid and how Arkansas ranks in the nation with food production.   During this time, the women collected donations and food for the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas.

Linda Rhein, Chairman of the Women’s Committee presented Linda Finley, Executive Director of the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas a check for $100 from Baxter County Farm Bureau as well as $37.82 in cash donations and 50 pounds of non-perishable foods that were collected at the Baxter County Farm Bureau’s display booth at Harp’s Food Store on February 25, 2010.

National Food Check Out  Week draws attention to the fact the United States continues to enjoy the world’s most abundant and affordable food supply, while giving Farm Bureau leaders and opportunity to inform the public about how they may enjoy nutritional meals on a budget.

Interesting facts that was share on Thursday and Friday at food check out event.

The average American spends only 10 percent of their disposable income on food.   In other countries, the percentage is much higher, The French spend 14 percent, the Japanese 15 percent, and the Chinese 35 percent.

It takes the average U.S. household only five weeks to earn enough income to pay for the annual food supply.

Americans enjoy one of the safest food supplies in the world.

U.S. farmers produce enough food for the entire country.   In addition, each year, they export more than $115 billion in agriculture goods around the world.

One in every five jobs in the state is related to agriculture.

In the US, farmers and ranchers receive only 19 cents out of every retail dollar that is spent on food.   The other 81 cents is spent on marketing expenses associated with processing, packaging, wholesaling, distributing, transporting, and retailing of food products.

Arkansas ranks in the top 10 in the nation  with rice, broilers, cotton, catfish, eggs, turkeys, grain sorghum, soybeans, grapes, and pecans.   Arkansas ranks number 1 in Rice number 2 in broilers and cotton and number 3  in catfish, eggs, and turkeys.  Timber, Peaches, beef cattle, wheat and hogs rank in the top 25 products.

Arkansas Farm Bureau is a nonprofit, private advocacy organization of more than 220.000 families throughout the state working to improve farm and rural life.

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