Agriculture

Would you…

End world hunger if you could?

Approve of changing farming methods to produce enough food to end world hunger?

Support a type of seed that had a much higher-yield crop?

Support a type of seed that had a shorter growing season allowing 2 crops a year?

Support technology that allowed vegetables to be more nutritious (like extra Vitamin A)?

Support technology that allowed vegetables to have longer shelf life – increasing profits for the company?

Use technology to ensure meat tainted with e-coli not be sold in stores?

Use radiation to kill e-coli?

Eat beef that had been treated with radiation?

Eat Food modified in a laboratory?

eat Food grown from seeds, when the seeds were modified in a laboratory?

feed Food grown from seeds, when the seeds were modified in a laboratory to your children?

feed Food grown from seeds, when the seeds were modified in a laboratory to your children if they were starving to death?

Eat Corn that repels pests making pesticides unnecessary?

Eat Genetically Modified vegetables?

The development of agriculture led to widespread alteration of the natural environment Analyze the consequences of the Green Rev. on food supply and the environment –Began with the development of high-yield seeds resulting in the increased use of chemical and mechanized farming –Positive consequences of the Gr. Rev. include inc. food production and a relative reduction in hunger at the global scale –Negative consequences of the Gr. Rev. include environmental damage resulting from irrigation and chemical use and the cost of technology and seeds

Green (3 rd ) Revolution Invention and quick diffusion of agricultural techniques during 1960’s-80’s Main techniques –Genetic Engineering Higher-yield seeds – Norman Borlaug Drought/disease resistance Quicker growing season (double- cropping) –Expanded use of fertilizers Need tractors, irrigation pumps & other machinery to take full advantage Replaced older grains and beans for rice and wheat BUT NOT

Mechanization, chemical farming with synthetic fertilizers, and globally widespread food manufacturing The Third Agricultural Revolution: 3 Phases

Mechanization Replacement of human labor with machines Tractors, combines, reapers, pickers, since late 1800’s

Chemical Farming Application of synthetic fertilizers to the soil Also herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides Important environmental impact

Food Manufacturing Adding economic value to agricultural products through a range of treatments Processing, canning, refining, packing, packaging

The Third Agricultural Revolution The Green Revolution Began in the 1960s Scientists created IR36—an “artificial” rice plant By 1992 IR36 was the most widely grown crop on Earth

The Green Revolution New high-yield hybrid varieties of wheat and corn were developed and diffused Disastrous famines of the past have been avoided Asia saw a two-thirds increase in rice production

Define Genetically modified

GM foods or GMOs (genetically- modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques.

Advantages of GM Pest Resistant Drought Resistant Improved nutrition Herbicide resistant Cold tolerant Pharmaceutical inclusive

Want food packing to clearly indicate if food has been GM?

Perceived Dangers of GMs Pollen from GMs could blow onto other plants and endanger wildlife Create pesticide resistant pests Herbicide resistant GMs could crossbreed with weeds creating “super weeds” Patented GMs could increase costs for farmers creating more have and have-nots Introduce new allergens into foods

Acreage and Yield Trends

Negatives of the Green Revolution New hybrids required use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides Can lead to reduction of organic matter in the soil Many small-scale farmers lack resources to acquire these chemicals and the seed

Role of Women

Blue Revolution New technology (motorized boats, processing technology, etc.) affecting fisheries … Aquaculture – the growing of aquatic creatures in ponds on shore or in pens suspended in water

Agribusiness –is when agricultural activities are integrated into the food production industry, so farmers have close ties with other businesses. –They do this through the use of modern communication and information technology. Industrial agriculture –is sometimes called factory farming because it more closely resembles manufacturing than farming. –Crops and livestock are standardized so that growing time is minimized, but yields and therefore profits are maximized. –The standard size allows for mechanization of processing at large scale (mass production) using assembly line concepts (reducing labor as well). – This is particularly true for poultry production which is no longer closely tied to the land.

or Industrial agriculture refers to how the crops and animals are raised (like a factory...therefore they are called factory farms). Agribusiness refers to the structure of the farming industry or sometimes called corporate farming.

ISSUES RELATED TO CHANGING NATURE OF CONTEMPORARY AG.

Large-scale Agribusiness Resulting in complex commodity chains linking production and consumption of agricultural products

Changes in food production and consumption present challenges and opportunities Interdependence among regions of food production and consumption Explain issues related to the changing nature of contemporary ag. Explain issues related to the location of food-production facilities Explain the changing role of women in food production and consumption

Technological improvements have changed the economies of scale in the ag. sector

Food is part of global supply chain; products from less developed low- latitude regions (e.g. coffee, bananas) are often consumed globally

Patterns of Global food distribution are affected by political systems, infrastructure, and patterns of world trade No alcohol and pork production in Middle East Brazil nut production in Bolivia –European Union standard for safe consumption Starvation caused more by distribution issues than total production –Sub-Saharan Africa vs. N. Korea

Food Deserts

Food Desert