Share Your Planting Season Experience for #Plant2021

After a long winter and a challenging year, spring has finally come. As the world around us bursts into song and color, our farmers will begin to work the soil they’ve protected all winter and plant the seeds they will nurture for months to come. Later this year, the fruits of their labor will become the food that feeds our communities, the fiber that clothes our families, and the fuel that powers industries.

For many, 2020 was the first year they’d ever seen an empty shelf at the grocery store. And for the first time, many people realized how much they take farming and the people who make it possible for granted. Fewer and fewer Americans understand what our farmers do, who they are, and the hard work they put in. Let’s change that.

This planting season, let Farmers.gov showcase your work by participating in the #Plant2021 campaign. We’ll share your story on @FarmersGov on social media and a nationwide storymap. Here’s how:

Using your smartphone or digital camera, take photos of what’s happening on your operation during planting season. Videos may be too large to email as attachment, so you can email them to us via mail drop (iPhone), Google Photos (Android), or any other file sharing service. A few ideas:

• If you are comfortable, we’d love to see the people that make it happen set against the backdrop of your agricultural operation.
• Take a photo from inside the tractor cab so we can see what you see.
• Photos at sunrise or sunset are always beautiful!
• Behind-the-scenes photos showing us the amount of planning and preparation it takes to have a successful planting season are welcomed.
• Emerging (baby) crops.

Submit your photos/videos along with the following information to us at SM.FP.Social@usda.gov:

• Your name if you’re comfortable sharing.
• Location of the operation (city or county and state).
• Information about what’s in the photo/video and what’s being planting.
• Your thoughts about this year’s planting season. Is this year different from previous years? How do you feel about the season? What are you hopeful about?
• If your operation has a Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram account, please include it so that we can tag you.

Please note that by submitting your photo/video, you are granting USDA permission to use these materials for outreach and education purposes.

Follow @FarmersGov on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and we look forward to sharing your story!