Jayce Doan, a college student at Montana State University, is the winner of the North Dakota Farm Bureau I Am Agriculture photo/essay contest held on Facebook.

 

“I was happy to see people share their feelings about agriculture on such a deeply personal level,” said NDFB Communications Director Dawn Smith-Pfeifer. “Every person who shares how important agriculture is to them is a winner, because people need to understand just how important American agriculture is to their lives. Agriculture provides us with abundant choices and we need to keep reminding people of that as they become further removed from the farmers and ranchers who help keep them fed and clothed.”

 

Doan, who is originally from McKenzie, shared the following essay and picture:

 

“If it wasn’t for agriculture, I would be lost. My whole life revolves around it, and it always will. I was fortunate enough to be born into a very active ag family and couldn’t have picked a better setting to be raised in. Even now, I am majoring in Animal Science to continue this great legacy. Agriculture has taught me the true meaning of life, and how to work for something. I am a very traditional person, and my agricultural influences have given me a way to live by, just like farmers and ranchers before me. People who have chosen this lifestyle are like no other. They are compassionate, always willing to lend a helping hand, and are as honest as can be. These qualities surely depict how agriculture has made my life better, because without these things, we’re just more people lost in the time of today’s speedy world.”

 

One of the judges for the contest shared this about the essay and photo Jayce submitted:

“You can tell that he is passionate about agriculture, and he lives the life he loves. Great picture as well. When I read his story, I thought it truly embraced the statement, ‘I am

Agriculture.’ ”

 

As the winner of the contest, Doan receives $250.

 

“I’d really like to thank Farm Bureau for giving me this opportunity and for choosing my essay and photo. I really appreciate it,” Doan said.

 

Governor Jack Dalrymple has officially declared March 11-17 North Dakota Farm Bureau Week. The proclamation can be viewed at http://governor.nd.gov/media-center/proclamation/north-dakota-farm-bureau-week-0.

 

County Farm Bureaus are holding a variety of activities during the week statewide, including grocery giveaways, picture contests, ads and billboard and must more.