There Would Be NO Super Bowl Without Agriculture! Huh? I’m guessing that is what your response may be. You're probably thinking “What on earth does agriculture have to do with football?” Well, think about the number of items used or consumed at a game that have to be grown by a farmer. There would literally be NO football game without AGRICULTURE!!
Here’s why –
- The actual football is referred to as the “pigskin”. Why? Because originally, the ball was made from an inflated pig bladder then covered in leather. While the “bladder” is now synthetic, the football is still covered in leather. OK, football = pigs & cows = livestock = agriculture. Check.
- Uniforms – While most of the actual uniforms worn on the field are synthetic fabric, many of the other articles of clothing utilize some percent cotton. Certainly a lot of our clothing is made in part from cotton. OK, so clothing = cotton = crop = agriculture. Check.
- If Sunday’s game is cold, you’ll bet the players have nice wool hats to keep their heads warm when standing on the sidelines. OK, so hat = wool = sheep = agriculture. Check.
- Shoes! Whether on your feet or the players’ feet, most likely are made from leather. OK, so shoes = leather = cows = agriculture. Check.
- How about that beer? Whether you’re drinking it at home or at the game, beer is made from barley & hops. OK, so beer = barley & hops = crops = agriculture. Check.
- How about that soda? Unless its diet, it’s sweetened with one thing – sugar, derived from either corn as syrup or sugar cane or sugar beets. OK, so soda = corn/sugar cane/ sugar beets = crops = agriculture. Check.
The Concessionaire is calling Popcorn! Peanuts! Hot Dogs! Can Any One Say Agriculture?
- Are you munching on nachos or popcorn? Oh, well, they’re both made from different varieties of corn, but still, are corn. OK so nachos/popcorn = corn = crop = agriculture. Check.
- Those yummy salted peanuts the concessionaire called out? OK, so peanuts = crop = agriculture. Check.
- How about those hot dogs? Hot dogs are made from chicken, beef, or pork or combination thereof. How about the bun? The ketchup? The mustard? The relish?
- OK, so hot dog = chicken/beef/pork = livestock = agriculture. Check.
- OK, so buns = wheat = crop = agriculture. Check.
- OK, so ketchup = tomatoes = crop = agriculture. Check.
- OK, so mustard = crop (yes a real farmer grows mustard) = agriculture. Check.
- OK, so relish = cucumbers = crop = agriculture. Check.
- Umm, this is probably obvious but OK, so potato chips = potatoes = crop = agriculture. Check.
- What about the program? I know you’re thinking I’ve lost it now but trust me, I have not. Many printers have converted to soy-based ink for printing. While I searched online and cannot confirm that the Super Bowl 46 programs are printed with soy-ink, there is a good chance they are. OK, so Ink = Soybeans = crop = agriculture. Check.
- Unfortunately, the playing field at the home of the Indianapolis Colts is artificial turf, but 18 out of 31 NFL Stadiums still play on grass. Maybe you don’t think of turf grass as a “crop” but a farmer does grow it and care for it, harvests it, and sells it. It’s a crop, plain and simple. OK, so Professional turf grass = crop = agriculture. Check.
So you see this Sunday’s game is brought to you NOT by all those corporate sponsors running really funny and amusing advertisements between downs. It’s brought to you by the American Farmer, who grew all the crops that made all the products that players, sports fans, and those who only want to watch the commercials will be using and consuming.
Thank you American Farmer for bringing us the Super Bowl!
