Current Agricultural Trends Including a Brief History Lesson Lisa Tronchetti & Ryan Steffensen

Outline A Brief History Current Agricultural Trends (Including US Comparisons) – Population and Expansion – Machinery – Row Crop Production – Livestock Production – Forestry – Renewable Energy Future Outlooks

A Brief History: 11 th -14 th Century Cultivation=Expansion – 4 million to 12 million people – New Settlements Three Field System – More fruit and vegetable production – More wine production!

A Brief History: Land Ownership Issues Land Ownership – Manor Lords Western Germany More Freedoms – Estate Owners Eastern Germany Closer ties to owners – Inheritance Effects on farm size and growth

A Brief History: The Liberation Paved the way for market oriented agriculture 3 Things Occurred 1. Discharge 2. Division and Coupling 3. Eliminated barriers to land possession

A Brief History: The Third Reich Third Reich Policy – Greatly influences agriculture Joining the NS – After being in a economic decline for many years NSDAP – Agricultural pare of NS – Designed to better represent farmer – Used by the NS to reach own gains

Current Trends: Population and Expansion Germany: 1 farmer = 75 people fed – U.S.: 1 farmer = 100 people fed Germany: 350,000 farms Decreasing the # of farms, Increasing Size – Like trend in U.S. – Avg. Farm Size (Germany) App. 300 acres Land Statistics

Current Trends: Machinery Came into use after WW1 – Tractor – Combine (harvesting equipment) Lead to trend in larger farm size and fewer farms.

Current Trends: Row Crop Production 5 Top Products 1. Sugar Beets 2. Wheat 3. Potatoes 4. Barley 5. Rapeseed Other Crops – Maize (corn) – Soybeans – Rye – Fruits – Vegetables Trend is moving away from traditional goods to corn and value added products/organic (fruits and veggies).

Current Trends: Livestock Production Top 4 Livestock 1. Hogs 2. Cattle 3. Rabbits 4. Sheep Average Herd Size – 70 cattle – 40 dairy – 300 hogs

Current Trends: Forestry 30% of Land Mostly private ownership High pollution hurts forests Quota System

Current Trends: Renewable Energy 6% Wind Energy Biodiesel Ethanol Wave Power (something new)

Future Outlook Globalization Integration – Increasing farm size Off Farm Income Shift to Corn Production Wave Energy!

Conclusion History has greatly affected today’s Agricultural practices Agriculture is still growing and changing in Germany Trends are much like in the United States The Future is Exciting!