South Dakota farmers have been visiting elementary students across the state during National Ag Week to share the positive message about how they produce food, fiber and fuel. Gayville farmer Jim Petrick talked about wheat and pork production at Webster Elementary in Yankton yesterday. He says it’s critical these future consumers understand how food gets to their table.

Petrick says he wants the students to know he is producing a safe pork product for their family and that pork production has become more efficient and environmentally safe over time.

Vicki Schultz and her family operate a 1,500-cow dairy near Freeman. She shared with the students how those cows produce three semi-loads of milk per day that goes into the dairy products they love.

Petrick and Schultz also talked about how the food products they produce on their farms like pork for sausage and milk for cheese are ingredients in one of their favorite foods, pizza. They then finished up by having a pizza party with the class. The National Ag Week visits are organized by Ag United.