2. Agriculture MechanicsBy
David p Andrews

3. Exploring careers in Agricultural mechanics 1 section unit 1 mechanics in the world of agriculture unit 2 career options in agriculture mechanics

4. U N I T 1
Mechanics in the World
of Agriculture
TERMS TO
KNOW
agriculture
agriscience
agribusiness
renewable natural
resources
occupational cluster
occupation
business
profit
employment
trade

5. mechanical
mechanic
technician
mechanics
agricultural
efficiency
OBJECTIVE
To determine how mechanical skills, concepts, and principles are
used in agriculture and related occupations.
Competencies to be developed
After studying this unit, you should be able to:
Define agriculture and agricultural
mechanics.

6. Define occupation and describe an occupational
cluster.
Describe the role of mechanics and
mechanical applications in society.
Demonstrate knowledge of contributions
made by mechanical application to the
development of agriculture.
Name eight inventors of important agricultural
machines.
Materials List
✔ Pencil
✔ Paper
✔ Encyclopedias

7. 4 SECTION 1 Exploring Careers in Agricultural Mechanics
Historically, the word agriculture meant to farm
or to grow plants or animals. Today, agriculture
may be defined as those activities concerned with
plants and animals and the related supplies, services,
mechanics, products, processing, and marketing
related to plants, animals, and the environment. The
term AgriScience evolved during the current decade
to clearly denote that agriculture is a science. Actually,
modern agriculture covers so many activities that
a simple definition is not possible. The United States
Department of Education developed the phrase
“agriculture/agribusiness and renewable natural

8. resources” to refer to the broad range of activities
associated with agriculture. Agribusiness refers to
the network of commercial firms that have developed
with or stem out of agriculture.
Renewable natural resources are the
resources provided by nature that can replace or
renew themselves. Examples of such resources are
wildlife, trees, and fish as well as their natural surroundings.
Some occupations in renewable natural
resources are game trapper, forester, and waterman. A
waterman uses boats and specialized equipment to
harvest fish, oysters, and other seafood.
All jobs and types of work in the field of agriculture/

9. agribusiness and renewable natural resources
make up an occupational cluster. An occupational
cluster is a group of related jobs. There are many
occupations that are related to agriculture as illustrated
in figure 1–1. Agricultural mechanics is only
one of the many careers that fall under the broad
term of agriculture.
Agriculture depends on many nonfarm workers
for goods and services. For every farm worker in the
United States, there are said to be four workers in
nonfarm agricultural jobs, figure 1–2. Nonfarm agriculturists

10. provide machinery, equipment, fertilizer,
feed, seed, money, research, and government services.
Similarly, marketing, transporting, processing,
and distributing farm products are done by nonfarm
agriculturalists. This network of nonfarm agricultural
workers helps the average U.S. farmer feed about
128 people per year, figure 1–3. On the most productive
and efficient farms, however, one farmer may
produce enough to feed more than 200 people.
The term occupation means business, employment,
or trade. It is the work a person does regularly
to earn a living. Business generally refers to work
done for profit. Profit refers to income made from
the sale of goods or services after expenses have been
taken out. An example of profit is the income made
by a local machinery dealer or a local garden center
minus expenses.
Employment means work done for pay.
Employees are paid by the hour, day, week, month,

11. or year. A small-engines mechanic employed at the
local machinery dealer is probably paid by the hour,
but the sales manager is probably paid an annual
salary with bonuses based on sales volume.
Trade refers to specific kinds of work or businesses,
especially those that require skilled mechanical
work. Mechanical means having to do with a
machine, mechanism, or machinery. A person who is
specifically trained to perform mechanical tasks is a
mechanic. A mechanic who uses high technology is
generally called a technician. The mechanic must
be skilled in the use of tools and machines. The
mechanic must also be able to select appropriate
materials, use a variety of processes, and analyze

12. problems. The term mechanics is defined as the
branch of physics dealing with motion, and the
action of forces on bodies or fluids.
The term agricultural mechanics is the selection,
operation, maintenance, servicing, selling, and
use of power units, machinery, equipment, structures,
and utilities used in agriculture. Hundreds of
different jobs are available in agricultural mechanics.
A total of 99 out of 305 occupational entries in A
Concise Handbook of Occupations are mechanical in
nature.
AGRICULTURE—A BASIC
INDUSTRY
Agriculture is a very complex industry. The industry
produces plant and animal products from
which thousands of commodities are made. Since
every person and many industries depend upon
agriculture, it is said to be a basic industry. Some

13. products of agriculture are food, oils, fiber, lumber,
ornamental trees and shrubs, flowers, leather, fertilizers,
feed, seed, and more. Basic agricultural
products form the raw materials for many items of
everyday living.
Fabrics for clothing, curtains, and floor coverings
are made from oils such as corn oil, soybean oil, and
cottonseed oil. Plastics of all kinds are also made
from vegetable oils. Products from animals are used
to make materials such as glue, leather, and paint.
Many medicines come from plants and animals. The
manufacture of automobiles, furniture, airplanes,
radios, stereos, and computers all depends on agriculture
for certain raw materials. The construction of
homes, boats, and factories all depends on agriculture
for lumber, fiber, and other basic commodities.
Most dwellings in America are surrounded by lawn,
shrubs, or other plants for beautification. These are
also agricultural commodities.
Agriculture is, indeed, a basic industry upon
which all people depend. It is the backbone of the
American society.

14. THE ROLE OF
AGRICULTURAL
MECHANICS
Mechanical applications are found throughout
agriculture. Some of these applications are shown in
figures 1–4 through 1–8. A few examples of jobs
involving agricultural mechanics are:
the engineer who designs tractors and other
farm and ranch machines
the forester who keeps chainsaws and other
equipment going

15. the builder of processing plants, farm buildings,
and aquaculture facilities
the electrician who installs climate controls,
silo unlades, and milling equipment
the soil conservationist who constructs terraces
to control erosion
the hardware store employee who must locate
repair parts for agricultural tools and machines
the air conditioning and refrigeration specialist
in processing and storage facilities
the designer and installer of field, turf, landscape,

16. the lawn equipment service mechanic who
repairs lawn tractors
the welder who repairs farm machinery
the mechanic who keeps the diesel trucks and
machines going.
Processing plants for field crops, livestock, poultry,
fruits, and vegetables all have machinery. Such
machinery requires designers, engineers, operators,
maintenance and repair personnel, and construction
workers. Even people with jobs in finance, publications,
and communications may need some knowledge
of mechanics when their assignments deal with
agriculture. All are likely to use computers and computer
applications in their work.
THE INFLUENCE
OF MECHANIZATION

17. At the birth of the United States in 1776, over 90 percent
of the American colonists were farmers, yet
many of General Washington’s troops at Valley Forge
died for lack of food and clothing. Today, less than
10 percent of all Americans work in agriculture, yet
there are generally food surpluses in America. The
ratio of farm workers to nonfarm people in America
approximately reversed itself in 200 years. In 1776,
the farm-to-nonfarm ratio was approximately 9 to 1.
Today, the ratio of agricultural workers to the
remaining population is approximately 1 to 9. Mechanization
has played a major role in this rise in production
efficiency. Efficiency means ability to produce
with a minimum waste of time, energy, and
materials.

18. America provided the inventors for many of the
world’s most important agricultural machines. Cyrus
McCormick invented the reaper in 1834 to cut small
grain crops. Later, the combine was invented, which
cut and threshed the grain in the field. Today, one
modern combine operator can cut and thresh as
much grain in one day as 100 persons could cut and
bundle in one day in the 1830s.
Two inventions had a profound influence on the
settling of this country. The first was by a man
named John Deere who developed a steel plow that
replaced an iron plow invented by Thomas Jefferson.
The plow invented by Deere in 1837 allowed farmers
to break up the tough sod that previously had prevented
pioneers from cultivating the rich prairie
soils. This allowed settlers to inhabit all of the Midwest
and Plains region where so much of our food is
grown today.

19. The other invention that affected settlement
was by Eli Whitney who developed a machine,
called a gin, to remove seeds from cotton. Prior to
his invention in 1793, seeds were removed from cotton
by hand. The seeds were easily separated from
the cotton, but it was still time consuming. Another
problem was the type of cotton grown. Cotton
with loose seeds was the Sea Island or long-staple
variety that would only grow along the coast of
Georgia and the Carolinas. Upland cotton would
grow anywhere in the South, but the seeds of this
type were almost impossible to separate by hand.
Whitney’s gin not only saved labor, but opened up
the entire southern portion of the nation for cultivation
of upland cotton.
In 1850, Edmund W. Quincy invented the
mechanical corn picker. Joseph Glidden’s development
of barbed wire permitted establishment of
ranches with definite boundaries.
The internal combustion engine made machines
tremendously more efficient. Relatively lightweight,
powerful engines revolutionized the production of
food and fiber by providing mechanization that
replaced the work of animals. Today, most of the
machinery used in agricultural production is based
on the internal combustion engine.

21. Perhaps no invention has had more impact on
agriculture and the lives of people than the invention
of refrigeration. Prior to this time, produce and
meats had to be sold fresh and the shelf life was very
short. With mechanical refrigeration, meats and produce
could not only be stored much longer, but
could also be transported long distances. Refrigerated
railcars and trucks allowed livestock, fruits, and vegetables
to be produced in one part of the country and
shipped across the country to large cities. For the first
time in history, people could have fresh meats and
vegetables year-round.

22. Many of the early inventors worked alone or
with one or two partners. They all could be considered
workers in the area of agricultural mechanics. By
the early 1900s, many people worked in factories or
operated businesses. The companies that were
formed to produce agricultural machinery or process
agricultural products turned to invention also. For
instance, mechanical cotton pickers were developed
in the 1930s by several American companies.
Agriculture has become highly mechanized in
the developed countries of the world. For the undeveloped
countries, many engineers, teachers, and
technicians have sought simple, tough, and reliable
small machines to improve agriculture. In such
countries, America’s highly developed, complex,
computerized, and expensive machinery will not do.
Most countries do not have people trained for the
variety of agricultural mechanics jobs that are needed
to support America’s agriculture.
Many features, such as rubber tires, have been
standard equipment on American farms since the

23. 1930s. Yet, a machine with rubber tires is useless if
a tire is damaged and repair services are not available.
This is the case in most undeveloped countries
in Central and South America, Asia, and Africa.
Much of the world cannot compete with American
agriculture because the related agricultural products
and services are not available to support the farm
worker.
The efficiency of American agriculture will
increase in the future as computer-controlled
machines and robotics play an important part. It is
exciting to envision the changes in store for agricultural
mechanization in the twenty-first century.

24. SUMMARY
Agricultural mechanics has been fundamental to the
development of the agricultural industry in this
country. Much of the tremendous increase in the
efficiency of the American producers is due to the
innovations in mechanics. The wiring of buildings to
supply power; the repairing of engines and equipment;
the laying of pipe for water supplies; and the
constructions of buildings are only a few examples of
mechanics in agriculture. As further advances are
made the role of mechanics in agriculture will be as
prominent in the future as it has been in the past.

25. S T U D E N T A C T I V I T I E S
1. Define the Terms to Know in this unit.
2. Interview a Cooperative Extension Specialist for Agricultural Resources in your county or city. Ask the
specialist to describe the different jobs people do in your locality that are regarded as agricultural or
agriculturally related.
3. Look up “inventors” or “inventions” in an encyclopedia. Pick out the inventions that relate to agriculture
and report your findings to the class.
4. Select three or five classmates to join you in a debate on the role of agriculture in society. One team
should support the position that agriculture is the backbone of society. The opposing team should
support the notion that it is not.
5. Consider an everyday product such as bread, milk, leather gloves, or a corsage for Mother’s Day. Trace
the production, processing, and marketing of the item from its source to finished product. List points
along the way where agricultural mechanics are used.

26. S E L F - E V A L U A T I O N Multiple Choice. Select the best answer.
1. The production of plants and animals and the
related supplies, services, mechanics, products,
processing, and marketing defines
a. horticulture
b. renewable natural resources
c. agricultural mechanics
d. agriculture
2. Agribusiness is
a. the same as agricultural mechanics
b. limited to the sale of agricultural products
c. business stemming from agriculture
d. special work done by medical doctors
3. Examples of renewable natural resources are
a. oil, gas, and coal
b. fish, trees, and wildlife
c. rubber, steel, and water
d. air, soil, and minerals

27. 4. The term occupation means
a. business
b. employment
c. trade
d. all of these
5. Agricultural mechanics stems mostly from
a. physics
b. biology
c. medicine
d. horticulture
6. Agricultural products come from
a. soil and coal
b. plants and animals
c. iron ore and aluminum
d. atomic fuel

28. 7. Products of agriculture include
a. leather seat covers
b. paint
c. flower arrangements
d. all of these
8. Agricultural mechanics includes the occupation of
a. garden tractor repairperson
b. automobile mechanic
c. pile driver
d. systems analyst
9. Mechanization of agriculture has resulted in
a. decreased soil production
b. decreased farm expenses
c. increased production efficiency
d. increased numbers of farm workers

29. 10. Cyrus McCormick invented the
a. steel plow
b. cotton gin
c. milking machine
d. reaper
11. In 1776, the ratio of farm workers to nonfarm
people was approximately
a. 9 to 1
b. 1 to 1
c. 4 to 1
d. 1 to 9
12. Today, the ratio of agricultural workers to the
remaining population is approximately
b. 1 to 9
d. 1 to 1

30. EVALUATION PLAN
Person(s) responsible for the evaluation: Vasamillet
1. Evaluation scope
There is interest in a programme that prepares agricultural mechanics. While the school does not offer such a programme, the director would initiate one if a real need is proven. The objective of this evaluation is to determine the need for an agriculture mechanics programme.
2. Programme description
Appropriate documents will be reviewed to determine programme goals, activities and required resources. Existing resources will also be assessed to determine if they are compatible with programme requirements.

31. 3. Measures and design
A random sample of potential students and prospective employers will be surveyed to determine needs. Manpower reports and curriculum documents will also be reviewed. Complementary information will be analysed, similarities and discrepancies noted and conclusions drawn.
4. Data concerns
Questionnaires will be sent to students and employers on 15 September and again on 15 October to non-respondents. Review of manpower reports, curriculum documents and existing resources will start on 15 September. Tabulation and analysis of data will commence on 15 November. Bar graphs will be used to present data. The final written report will be delivered to the director by 1 December.
5. Budget
A total of US $ 700 has been set aside for evaluation. Personnel expenses will be US $ 270. Test items will cost US $ 30 and communications US $ 400.
PLANNING SHEET 1
SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION
Steps

32. 1.1 What programme is to be evaluated?
Agricultural mechanics 1.2 Who wants to know about the programme?
School director 1.3 What decisions will be based on the evaluation?
Whether or not to start an agricultural mechanics programme 1.4 What information must be given to the audience?
· Supply of and demand for agricultural mechanics · Pool of qualified students · Programme goals, activities and required resources 1.5 What is/are the objective(s) of the evaluation?
- To determine the need for an agricultural mechanics programme - To determine if the school has sufficient resources to implement such a programme
PLANNING SHEET 2
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
Steps
2.1 What are the programme outcomes?
To be determined by assessment 2.2 What are the programme activities?
To be determined by assessment 2.3 What are the required resources?
To be determined by assessment PLANNING SHEET 3
MEASURES AND DESIGNS

33. 3.1 What will be measured?
· Students and employers to be served by the programme · The supply of agricultural mechanics · The demand for agricultural mechanics · The pool of qualified students · Programme goals, activities and required resources 3.2 What instruments will be used?
· Student and employer questionnaires · Manpower supply and demand documents · Curriculum and facility documents 3.3 How will data be analysed?
· Descriptive analysis of observed agreement/differences between official statistics and employer and student responses · Descriptive analysis of existing resources and those prescribed in curriculum documents
3.4 What designs will be used?
· Informal comparisons of:

34. manpower data and student-employer responses - existing resources and those prescribed in standard documents 3.5 What sampling strategy will be used?
Random sample of employers and students PLANNING SHEET 4
DATA CONCERNS
Steps
4.1 What are the deadlines?
1 September - Develop questionnaires, order documents 15 September - Send questionnaires, read documents 15 October - Send second questionnaire to non-respondents 15 November - Tabulate/analyse data 1 December - Final report 4.2 How will data be presented?
Bar graphs will be used to show employer, student and manpower data 4.3 How will data be reported?
Written report delivered to the school director PLANNING SHEET 5
BUDGET
Steps Costs Estimated Actual -

35. 5. 1 What are the personnel costs
5.1 What are the personnel costs? Evaluator Consultant $ Clerical 20 Typist Travel/lodging/food Transportation Housing Meals Test items/analysis

36. Test purchase 30 Test scoring Data processing 5
Test purchase 30 Test scoring Data processing Communication Telephone Postage Telex Other costs Total costs $ 700 Discussion of case study 1
This case study addressed curriculum planning - whether or not to offer a TVE curriculum. To provide appropriate information a needs assessment was proposed. This design uses complementary information to draw conclusions.

37. Information is drawn from different sources - employer and student responses to questionnaires and published manpower data. A second dimension looks at proposed programme goals, activities and required resources in terms of existing curricula and resources. This information helps the director decide if the school has sufficient resources to implement the new programme

38. Needs assessments are highly speculative
Needs assessments are highly speculative. Decisions are subjective because reliable evidence about the supply of and demand for workers is not always available. Also, changes in society, technology and the economy create an ever-changing job market. At best, a needs assessment provides a snapshot in time of the employment situation

39. pictures of Agriculture Mechanics

56. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos255.htm http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos198.htm
hiperlinks