Agriculture and Agriculture and AgribusinessAgribusiness

Chapter 1Chapter 1

What is Agribusiness?What is Agribusiness?

►All operations involved in the All operations involved in the manufacture and distribution of farm manufacture and distribution of farm suppliessupplies Production operations on the farmsProduction operations on the farms Storage, processing, and distribution of Storage, processing, and distribution of

the resulting farm commodities and itemsthe resulting farm commodities and items

The Big PictureThe Big Picture

►Agribusiness companies provide input Agribusiness companies provide input supplies to the farmer. The output supplies to the farmer. The output from farmers is taken by from farmers is taken by agribusinesses and process, market agribusinesses and process, market and distribute the productsand distribute the products

Agriculture IndustryAgriculture Industry

The CheeseburgerThe Cheeseburger

Life Before AgricultureLife Before Agriculture

►People looked for foodPeople looked for food Learned to fishLearned to fish FireFire

Early Ag DevelopmentEarly Ag Development

►Raise cropsRaise crops►Domesticate animalsDomesticate animals►People were no longer nomadsPeople were no longer nomads

Bronze AgeBronze Age

►3,000 BC3,000 BC►Started using metal to cultivate larger Started using metal to cultivate larger

areas of land fasterareas of land faster►Nile River used for irrigationNile River used for irrigation►Wheel discoveredWheel discovered►World population rose from 3 million to World population rose from 3 million to

nearly 100 millionnearly 100 million

Iron AgeIron Age

►1,000 BC1,000 BC► Iron hand tools and plowsIron hand tools and plows►Mondey developed to trade excess Mondey developed to trade excess

cropscrops

The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages

►400-1500 AD400-1500 AD►Crop rotation, harness (switch from Crop rotation, harness (switch from

oxen to horses), selective breedingoxen to horses), selective breeding

Farming and Agribusiness in Farming and Agribusiness in AmericaAmerica

►Organic fertilizerOrganic fertilizer►Rice 1Rice 1stst grown in US grown in US►George Washington created an George Washington created an

experimental farmexperimental farm►Thomas Jefferson experimented with Thomas Jefferson experimented with

seeds and livestockseeds and livestock

After the American After the American RevolutionRevolution

►SurveyingSurveying►Cotton GinCotton Gin►VaccinesVaccines►Cast iron plowCast iron plow► Interchangeable parts developed so Interchangeable parts developed so

people could fix equipmentpeople could fix equipment

Ag and Industrial RevolutionAg and Industrial Revolution

►Many inventions (steam engine, railroads) Many inventions (steam engine, railroads) and people left farms to work in citiesand people left farms to work in cities

► CarsCars► Crop rotationCrop rotation► Seed drillSeed drill► ReaperReaper► Threshing machineThreshing machine► Steel plowSteel plow► Barbed wireBarbed wire►Gas tractorGas tractor

11stst ½ of 20 ½ of 20thth Century Century

►Panama Canal openedPanama Canal opened►Smith Hughes actSmith Hughes act►Cooperative Extension ServiceCooperative Extension Service►Hybrid SeedsHybrid Seeds

►Then the Dust Bowl and DepressionThen the Dust Bowl and Depression

Because of DepressionBecause of Depression

►Gov paid farmers for using soil Gov paid farmers for using soil conservation practicesconservation practices

►Soil conservation serviceSoil conservation service►FFAFFA►High crop yieldsHigh crop yields►Gov paid for more reserve and Gov paid for more reserve and

educationeducation►Antibiotics used for animalsAntibiotics used for animals

Last ½ of 20Last ½ of 20thth Century Century

►AIAI►More productionMore production►Electric fencesElectric fences►PesticidesPesticides►FuturesFutures►ComputersComputers

SuccessSuccess

►1 farmer feeds 150 people1 farmer feeds 150 people►US feeds less than 9% of income on US feeds less than 9% of income on

foodfood►exportsexports