Katherine Lee Bates, a Wellesley College professor and poet, wrote the stirring verses of “America, the Beautiful” on a train trip to Colorado in 1893.  Her inspiring words evoke patriotism for a diverse people living in a diverse landscape but they also extol our country’s bounty.  The purple mountains sit majestically above the “fruited plain” as the “spacious skies” gently blow the “amber waves of grain.” 

From this rich landscape Americans partake in the most nutritious, affordable and safest food supply on the planet.  Its farmers and ranchers, processors and manufacturers, are held to the highest safety standards and have created distribution efficiencies that ensure fresh and wholesome food and beverage availability from farm to fork in record time.

Innovation is another hallmark of the food and beverage industry with more choices than ever before available to meet dietary needs. Here at Sip n Savor, we honor this great American industry that accounts for about 13 percent of all U.S. manufacturing employment and provides jobs in nearly 27,000 manufacturing establishments employing 1.46 million workers in communities all across the country.

As you enjoy your next trip to the grocery store or your next meal with friends and family, take a moment to pay tribute to those who bring the richness of a wholesome food supply to us so readily – and an industry that serves people in need around the globe who suffer from hunger. America’s food supply is truly worth celebrating.