America’s farmers step up to the plate 365 days a year, and thanks to them, America’s pastime is sweeter than ever. The American Sugar Alliance joined together with Ducks Unlimited, National Cotton Council, U.S. Rice Producers Association, Farm Credit Council, and Purina ahead of the Congressional Baseball Game to celebrate the strength and resilience of the winning team of farm families who help feed our nation. Founded in 1909, the Congressional Baseball Game brings together members of Congress and fans for a bipartisan game that raises money for local charities.

Baseball has deep roots in America, just like our nation’s family farmers. From sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers to cotton and rice growers, our farmers produce the commodities needed for baseball’s most iconic moments. Baseball is America’s favorite pastime thanks to American agriculture!

The starting lineup includes:  

Sugar crop farmers produce the sugar used to make sweet lemonade and cotton candy.

Peanut growers produce crunchy, salty peanuts.

Corn growers produce the kernels popped into delicious popcorn.

(Bring those sugar, peanuts, and corn together, and you have the quintessential baseball snack for the seventh-inning stretch: Cracker Jacks!)

Rice growers produce the rice used to brew beer.

Cotton growers produce the cotton used in baseball jerseys.

Wheat growers produce the wheat used to make tasty hot dog buns, pretzels, and beer.

…and that’s just the start. The grass in the outfield likely came from a turf farmer, the wood for the baseball bat from a forester, and the leather for the baseball gloves and baseballs from a rancher.

So, the next time you’re munching on peanuts or cooling off with a lemonade at a baseball game, remember the family farmers and ranchers out there who help make America’s pastime even better—and sweeter.