It is rare for agriculture to even be mentioned in a State of the Union address, but President Obama brought attention to the hardworking farmers of our country in the opening minute of SOTU 2014.

“A farmer prepared for the spring after the strongest five-year stretch of farm exports in our history,” said the president, with a split screen image of a farmer in a corn field to accompany his words. It was one the examples President Obama used of “citizens, who make the state of our union strong.”

The word farmer was mentioned a second time in the SOTU as the president quoted the governor of Kentucky about the importance of health care coverage to the people of his state.

Agricultural organizations noted the president’s comments on immigration reform, tax reform, trade promotion authority, and energy security. “The American Farm Bureau Federation welcomes President Obama’s call in his State of the Union address for Congress to pass immigration reform,” said president Bob Stallman. “Many farmers rely on an immigrant labor force, and, without reform, growers will begin to plant less labor-intensive crops or go off shore.”

“It was great to hear President Obama talk about the importance of an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy,” commented National Corn Growers President Martin Barbre. “And you can’t have such a policy without biofuels. So, we call on his Administration to back away from its irresponsible proposal to reduce the Renewable Fuel Standard.”

Both NCGA and AFBF were also pleased to hear President Obama mention the need for improving waterways and ports. “We’ll need Congress to protect more than three million jobs by finishing transportation and waterways bills this summer,” said the president.