A Brief History of Agriculture Mr. Wilson Uintah High School

Objective 1:Discuss the history of Agriculture Explain how the science of agriculture helped develop civilization, including agronomic, horticultural, and forestry plants. Identify the major innovators and milestones in the advancement of agriculture.

Agriculture Defined The art, science, and business of managing the growth of plants and animals for human use. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/

Agriculture Defined Cultivation of the soil Growing & harvesting crops Breeding & raising of livestock Packing, processing, and marketing Much more than farming!

World Agriculture Began over 10,000 years ago Humans discovered the value of wild plants and animals and domesticated and bred them Cereals Meat animals Poultry, fish, milk, cheese, nuts, oils, fruits, vegetables etc. Before agriculture, people were hunters and gatherers. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/

Domestication To adapt for human use. Survival depends upon humans. Breeding is subject to human control. Characteristics are different than wild ancestry. Grown or raised for a purpose.

World Agriculture Importance 50% world’s labor force employed in agriculture > 60% in Africa < 4% in USA and Canada 15% former Soviet Union 7% in Western Europe Abraham Lincoln established the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1862.

World Agriculture Nations depend on agriculture for food, income, and raw materials United States consumers spend approximately 10% of income on food, the world’s smallest amount. The United States exports over $120 billion of American Agricultural products.

World Agriculture Agricultural income also from nonfood crops Rubber Fiber plants Tobacco Oilseeds for synthetic chemical compounds Animals for pelt http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/

Dates Plants &Animals Domesticated Dates of domestication vary by regions Earliest may be from 10,000 BC Scientists used carbon-14 testing of plant & animal remains

Dates Plants &Animals Domesticated Sheep 9000 BC (N Iraq) Cattle 6th millennium BC (NE Iran) Goats 8000 BC (Iran) Pigs 8000 BC (Thailand) & 7000 BC (Thessaly) Horses 4350 BC (Ukraine) Llama & alpaca 3rd millennium (Andean region of S America) Maize (corn) believed to be domesticated approximately 9000 years ago in Central America http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/

Dates Plants &Animals Domesticated Wheat & barley 8th millennium BC (Middle East) Millet & rice 5500 BC (China & SE Asia) Squash 8000 BC (Mexico) Legumes 6000 BC (Thessaly & Macedonia) Flax for textiles in early Neolithic period Transition from hunting and food gathering to dependence on food gathering was gradual Has not been accomplished worldwide http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/

Pastoralism A later development Mixed farming, combining cultivation of crops and stock raising was a common Neolithic pattern Nomadic herders roamed steppes of Europe and Asia where the horse and camel were domesticated

Scientific Agriculture Colonial agriculture Feed colonies Produce cash crops & feed home country Cultivation of sugar, cotton, tobacco, tea, animals for wool and hide etc From 15th to 19th centuries slaves were used Slaves worked in Caribbean on sugar plantations & in N America

Scientific Agriculture Scientific revolution occurred from the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment in Europe Plant breeding Breeding cattle & sheep Guernsey cow breed Crop rotations Drainage brought more land into cultivation

Scientific Agriculture Livestock breeding in 1700s Limestone on soils in late 1700s Cast-iron plow 1797 by Charles Newbold John Deere improved it in 1830s & made it from steel Seed drill in early 1700s Reaper by Cyrus McCormick in 1831

Scientific Agriculture By late 1800s steam power replaced animal power in drawing plows and operating threshing machinery Science and technology developed for industrial purposes in agriculture Resulting in agribusinesses of the mid-20th century Poisons for pests developed in 19th century Improvements in transportation (19 & 20th) http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/

Scientific Agriculture After World War II Green revolution Selective breeding of crops DNA technology Intensive cultivation methods Machinery development http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/

Agriculture in USA Until 19th century, shared history of European & colonial areas Dependent upon Europe for seeds, livestock, machinery Forced farmers in new world to be more innovative Government policies encouraged land settlement Homestead Act of 1862 Establishments of Land Grant Colleges

Agriculture in USA Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862 Annual appropriations to each state to support Land-Grant Colleges by 1890 $15,000 first year & increased in $1,000 increments until reached $25,000 Research tied to teaching Extension Service – extends University knowledge to the people.

Agriculture in USA 20th century Steam, gasoline, diesel, electric power Chemical fertilizers manufactured Loss of soil combated Selected breeding of plants & animals Hybridization of corn in 1930s Improvements in storage, processing, transportation & marketing Chemical control of pests

Agriculture in USA In 1980s high technology farming Hybrids for many crops Better methods of soil conservation Irrigation systems improved Growing use of fertilizers Genetic engineering of many crops http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/

Food Sources for Humans Today

How will we provide food for a growing planet? ?????

World population: 1978 = 4 billion population grows 200,000/day 60-80% of deaths in world are from malnutrition average person needs 2200 Kilocalories per day half the world receives less than 1500 Kilocalories Today World Population is 7 BILLION PEOPLE!

Balanced diet meat and cereals North America = 35% meat, 40% cereal, 25% fruits/veg Asia = 10% meat, 75% cereal (rice)

How can we produce more food? increase number of acres in production 3 million acres per year taken out of production in the U.S. for residential and commercial use increase production per acre (Japan, Canada, Deserts, Jungles)

How has production changed in America? Civil War: 1 farmer produced enough food for his family (1:6) 1920 = 1:10 1970 = 1:50 1990 = 1: 70 1998 = 1:128 2010 = 1:155 Corn production per acre doubled from 1940 to 1960 (hybrid corn & fertilizer) Research: colleges, USDA, Industry

Other related areas Agronomy - field crops, wheat, corn, soybeans Horticulture - fruits, veggies, woody ornamentals and floriculture crops Forestry - wood and pulp production, recreation, wildlife and watershed management Weed science - deal with controlling and management of unwanted plants.

Future of Agriculture Genetic engineering will be important Pests to pharmaceuticals to industrial products Identity preserved crops From farm gate to table top to industrial uses Need students well versed in the basic sciences Ever growing world population is of great concern Space?