Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/947

 PROCLAMATION 7053—NOV. 21, 1997 112 STAT. 3705 Americans to assemble in their homes, places of worship, or community centers to share the spirit of goodwill and prayer; to express heartfelt thanks to God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us; and to reach out in true friendship to our brothers and sisters across this land who, together, comprise our great American family. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-second. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7053 of November 21, 1997 National Farm-City Week, 1997 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation When Americans sit down to a meal each day, we sometimes take for granted the quality and variety of the food we eat. Our grocery stores, supermarkets, and restaurants offer us an enormous volimie and selection of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, and other food items, but we too often forget the hardworking men and women whose skill and effort put that food on our tables. Strengthening our economy and providing food for people around the world, American agriculture is a leading global industry and a source of pride for our Nation. While producing an abundance of safe and af- fordable food and fiber, America's farmers and ranchers also provide a rich soiu-ce of jobs in the United States. American agriculture employs more than 21 million people today, and agriculture-related industries continue to expand, pumping a trillion dollars into the American economy each year. During the earliest days of our Nation, most of the crops farmers grew were used to feed their families or local consumers. Today, through advances in technology and marketing and through partnerships with agribusiness industries, research scientists, carriers, shippers, and retail distributors, America's farmers produce enough food and fiber to help meet the needs of people aroimd the globe. This week, as Americans gather with family and friends around the dinner table to give thanks for their many blessings, it is fitting that we count among those blessings the vital farm-city partnerships that have done so much to improve the quality of our lives. Rural and urban communities, working together to make the most of America's rich agricultural resources, continue to contribute immensely to the health and well-being of our people and to the vigor of our national economy. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 21 through November 27, 1997, as National Farm-City Week. I call upon citizens in urban and rviral areas throughout the Nation to ac-

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