2/17 Bellringer: Conventional Agriculture

1. What is agriculture?2. What is the #1 crop produced in

the U.S.?3. What are the positive results of

large scale agriculture?4. What are the negative impacts of

industrial agriculture.

Conventional Agriculture

The History of AgricultureAgriculture is the raising of crops and livestock

for food or for other products that are useful to humans.◦ Began over 10,000 years ago◦ This period was called the Agricultural Revolution◦ Prior to humans were primarily hunter-gatherers◦ Agriculture allowed human population to grow at

unprecedented rates

http://www.xtimeline.com/timeline/History-of-agriculture-1

Origins of Agriculture Farming was first used

in the Middle East, in a region running from present-day Turkey to Iraq and Israel, called the Fertile Crescent.

Barley and wild wheat were abundant and flood river plains were used.

Spread of Agriculture

Agricultural Revolution: Crash Course (1:05-6:45)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yocja_N5s1I

Agricultural Revolution• Plants we grow and eat (domesticated) today are

descended from wild plants• Teosinte: ancestor of modern corn

• Farmers collected seeds from plants that exhibited the qualities they desired

• Seeds were planted and harvested again and again

Evolution of Corn Teosinte vs. Zea Mays

Agriculture ModelsSubsistence agriculture: growing food for

consumption by farmer’s family

Commercial (modern) agriculture: growing food for sale off the farm, heavy use of machinery, fossil fuels, and technology

Sustainable Agriculture

•Small acreage •Crop rotation•Co-planting •Fallow fields•Regionally-appropriate crops•Locally eaten and sold

Modern Agriculture

•Large acreage•Monoculture•Extensive use of fertilizers•Extensive use of pesticides •Irrigation•Subsidies to overproduce •Selection of cash crops following subsidies•Crop selection for animal feed

Agricultural RevolutionDestruction of habitats◦ Grasslands, forests, and

wetlands were replaced with farmland

Replacement of forest◦ Soil loss◦ Floods◦Water shortages

Farmland Drainage

AgribusinessAgribusiness is a term that encompasses all the

businesses involved in agricultural food production, including farming, contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales.

One of the largest and most diverse industries in the US. Estimated 2012 revenue = $2.4 trillion

Major industry stakeholders◦Monsanto, Cargill, ADM (Archer Daniels Midland), etc.

U.S. Crop ProductionU.S. farmers produce roughly $100 billion worth

of crops and about $100 billion worth of livestock each year. (EPA 2012)

In 2010, 335 million acres of land were used for crop production. (Census 2012)

USDA Land Use Survey in 2002, 442 million acres (20%) were used for crop land◦ 587 million acres (26%) were used for grassland

pasture and range land. If you combine crop and rangeland, that’s nearly ½ of the United States!

U.S. Crop ProductionMajor agricultural crops produced in the United States in 2000 (excluding root crops, citrus, vegetable, etc).

Crop Harvested Area (million acres)

Cash Receipts from Sales ($ billion)

Corn (grain) 72.7 15.1

Soybeans 72.7 12.5

Hay 59.9 3.4

Wheat 53.0 5.5

Cotton 13.1 4.6

Sorghum (grain) 7.7 0.82

Rice 3.0 1.2

http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/ag101/cropmajor.html

Farmers in the U.S.In 1935, the number of farms in the United

States was 6.8 million. In 2007, the number of farmers was down to 2.2 million.

The need for human labor has also declined as evidenced by the increase in agricultural labor efficiency over the the past century.

Average age of farmers is 54 years old in 1997. Average age of farmers is 57 years old in 2007. Average age of farmers is increasing.

Earl Butz and SubsidiesEarl Butz was the head of the

Department of Agriculture in the 1970’s.

His major change was that he promoted bigger farms and encouraged “get big or get out.”

He was responsible for creating direct payments to grow corn = subsidies.

Corn (Zea mays)Corn is the most heavily subsidized

crop by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Corn is the major source of food in the American diet◦ Almost everything Americans eat

contains corn: high fructose corn syrup, corn-fed meat, and corn-based processed foods are the staples of the modern diet.

One bushel of industrial corn requires ¼ to 1/3 gallons of oil for production (Pollan, Omnivore’s Dilemma) ◦ = 50 gallons of oil/acre of corn

Issues with Conventional Agriculture

MonoculturesGrowing a single crop or plant

species over a wide area for many years.◦ ex. lawns, corn fields, tree farms

Widely used in industrial agriculture for large crop yields with little labor input.

However, they can lead to quicker spread of disease or use more soil nutrients.

Livestock, Dairy, & PoultryDomesticated animals raised for product

output or slaughtered for consumption.Animal products account for over half of the

value of U.S. agricultural products, often exceeding $100 billion per year. (USDA 2012)

Issues include overcrowding to maximize profit in large-scale operations, disease spread in monocultures, use of antibiotics, excessive waste output, and treatment.

Dairy CowsTrace amounts of hormones, blood, and pus

can be found in milk from industrial processes

Poultry FarmsChickens are often “debeaked” to prevent

damage and cannibalism at crowded farms

Energy Inputs vs. OutputsKilocalories of fossil fuel input per kilocalorie of protein output

Feed lot beef

Free range beef

Pigs

Broiler Chicken

Sheep

Vegetables

Fish FarmsIssues include over

crowding (does not occur in the wild) - can cause disease, stress, and pollution, and local habitat destruction

Dead or diseased fish are often ground up and fed to live fish

Sea lice

Slash and BurnAgricultural technique which involves cutting

and burning of forests to create fields◦ commonly used practice in the Amazon

Typically used in subsistence farming since it needs little technology or tools

Environmental Impacts of AgricultureHigh use of fossil fuels and

pesticides◦ Air pollution◦ Pressures on non-renewable

resourcesUntreated animal wastes and

agricultural chemicals◦ Water pollution◦ Harms fisheries

Insects, weeds, and disease-causing organisms developing resistance to pesticides◦ Contaminate food supply

Pesticide Application Abundance

Highest LowestApples Asparagus

Bell peppers Avocados

Celery Bananas

Cherries Broccoli

Imported grapes Cauliflower

Nectarines Corn (sweet corn)

Peaches Kiwi

Peas Mangos

Potatoes Onions

Red Raspberries Papayas

Spinach Pineapple

Strawberries Peas (sweet)

Released 10/21/2003 by EWG

Pesticides Residue on Produce

Environmental Impacts of AgricultureLand degradation◦ Decreases future ability of land to

support crops or livestockHabitat fragmentation◦ Breakup of large areas of habitat

into small, isolated patchesCultivating marginal lands◦ Irrigating dry land◦ Cultivating land prone to erosion

Genetic Engineering Manipulation of genes by taking specific gene from a cell of

one species and placing it into the cell of an unrelated species

Solutions to Large Scale Agriculture

Your Assignment:On a separate sheet of paper:◦Draw (with labels) an IDEAL Sustainable Farm

that doesn’t have all the problems that Conventional Farming does.

Modern AgricultureExit Slip