Photo Gallery | PHOTOS: National Agriculture Day at the Mississippi Farmers Market

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Mississippians gathered Thursday to celebrate agriculture, the state's number one industry, on National Agriculture Day.

The event themed “Eat Local, Eat Healthy” took place at the Mississippi Farmers Market in Jackson and was a time to celebrate food and fiber grown in Mississippi.

Local chefs used local ingredients while doing cooking demonstrations, Ag Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith and Sen. Billy Hudson spoke and dozens of booths were set up for the event.

Students from two local schools – St. Anthony Catholic School in Madison and Eastside Elementary School in Clinton – also attended the event as a field trip and learning opportunity.

The event was organized by several state and federal agencies, including the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission, Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Mississippi Farmers Market, Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, 17 percent of the state’s workforce is either directly or indirectly involved in agriculture, which is a $6.88 billion dollar industry in Mississippi.

The Mississippi Farmers Market is located on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. For more information and to find a farmers market in your area, visit the farmers market website.

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