Prayers for Farming and Agriculture

A Prayer for those who harvest the resources of the earth

Loving God, in the resources of the earth you have given us riches for all humanity. We pray for all who are involved in harvesting those resources, in agriculture and horticulture, forestry, mining and fisheries. Their work is often dangerous and, for some, beset with uncertainty through weather, pest and disease. We pray for those whose livelihoods have been ruined by disease, by falling prices, and by the shortcomings of disaster management. Help us to enable them to reflect on their future and chart their course with confidence. May they be set free from bitterness and anger. May they know that the community they have sought to serve stands alongside them in their need. Amen.

A Prayer for Food Producers

We thank you, Father, for the rich variety of our food, from many parts of the world. We thank you for the enjoyment and pleasure we find in sharing food in celebration and fellowship. We pray for those who grow, prepare and distribute the food we eat. As they try to achieve the impossible, grant to them a sense of their part in the poise and balance of all life. May they be vigilant for our safety, and for the quality of what they produce.

We remember especially those who take part in the global trade in foodstuffs, linking producers with consumers the world over. We hold before you those who buy, often in ignorance of the hardships facing those who produce. We hold before you those who produce, often receiving scant reward for their labour and their investment in land and equipment. We give you thanks for all who have sought to remind us of our complicity in world poverty, and who have shown us the steps we can take to act justly. Bless their work of peace-making through justice. Amen