Steak on a Plate

I've recently embarked on a journey in agribusiness and hospitality, and I have to say I've had somewhat of a revelation - the passion, the work, the finance, the infrastructure, and the people that put a steak (and veggies) on my plate. So, I want to sincerely and respectfully thank and honour as many of you as I can. I want to gratefully acknowledge the farmers and the primary producers; the farmhands and the pickers; the butchers and the veggie shop owners; the investors and restaurateurs; the chefs, the kitchenhands and those who wait tables. I am thankful to the textile manufacturers who turn cotton into table clothes and napkins; those who mine iron and coal, and who those who turn stainless steel into our knives and forks and spoons; the potters and glaziers; the glass makers. How often do we just sit down at home, or in a restaurant to meal and consider the people who work tirelessly to make our lives easier? Do we think about the folks who serve others at times when others go to bed, who often sacrifice everything to put some produce on a plate in front us? Do we reflect on their families - their lives? I cannot help but reckognise the interconnectivity of things, and all the complex connections that need to be made to result in a simple meal. To you all, I salute you. I honour and commend you. I thank you ...for the steak on my plate.