The Importance of Agriculture

People Have Needs• Basic Human Needs– Food– Fiber– Shelter

• In early history people hunted and gathered.• Domestication of plants and animals made it

easier for people to produce their own food and marked the beginning of agriculture.– Domestication: adapting behaviors of plants and

animals for human use.

Human Food Needs

• Food is the solid and liquid material humans eat.– Provides essential nutrients for health and growth

• Nutrient Needs of Humans:– Energy• Important in movement and for body activity• Primarily comes from fats and carbohydrates

– Growth and Repair• Primarily comes from proteins

– Good Health• Primarily from vitamins and minerals

– Body Processes• Water is most important because blood is 92% water

Sources of Food

• Food comes from 2 main sources:– Plants• 600 different plants are used for food• Cereal grains are the major food item in the world

(rice, wheat, corn, etc.)

– Animals• 50 species of animals are used for food including

terrestrial (land) and aquatic (water) species• Livestock are most important (cattle, chickens, sheep,

hogs)

Fiber

• Fiber is not a food and includes materials used to make clothing and shelter.– Natural and synthetic fibers are used.

• Fiber is used in 3 main ways:– By Animals• Wool, fur, silk

– By Plants• Cotton, flax, hemp, jute, sisal

– By Manufacturing• Nylon, polyester, asbestos

Shelter

• Housing used by humans to defend against cold, heat, rain, snow, wild animals, and other pests.

• Forest products that provide shelter include lumber, plywood, composition board, and paper.

What is agriculture?

• The science, art, and business of the production and management of plants, animals, and natural resources to supply food, clothing, shelter, recreation, companionship, and for a safe and aesthetically pleasing environment.– Includes forestry, horticulture, landscaping,

aquaculture, food science, marketing, banking, and other agricultural services.

US Agriculture

• When George Washington became President in 1789 farmers represented 90% of the country’s labor force and were considered subsistent farmers – provided for themselves. By the 1930s it was 21%, and today only 2% of Americans are directly involved in agricultural production.

• Abraham Lincoln established the USDA in 1862.

US Agriculture

• Today crops and livestock are grown in all 50 states with over 200 different commodities produced. This is possible because of our climate and soil.

• American agriculture is the most efficient in the world thanks to important developments.

• Today there are 2.2 million farms making up 922 million acres of farmland. That is 40% of the total acreage of the US.

• The average US family spends less than 10% of its disposable income on food, the lowest in the world.

US Agriculture• US farmers produce 43% of the world’s soybeans

and 34% of the world’s corn.• US farmers and ranchers provide food and habitat

for 75% of the nation’s wildlife.• Top 5 agricultural commodities in US:– Cattle/calves, Corn, Soybeans, Dairy Products, Broilers

• New agricultural industries include:– Beekeeping, bison, alligator, and aquaculture

• Today’s average farm:– 418 acres compared to 147 acres in 1900– 54% of farms are less than 100 acres– Feeds 144 people compared to 26 in 1960

US Agriculture• World trade has allowed Americans access to foods

from all over the world through importing and exporting agricultural goods.– US agriculture is primarily an export industry and is very

dependent on foreign trade policies.– US largest agricultural exports: grains and feeds, meats,

and oilseeds– US largest agricultural imports: vegetables, fruits, and

sugar• Agricultural research has allowed for more efficient

production from plants and animals.– Since 1925 new advancements have been made to allow

broiler chickens to meet market weight in ½ the time, from 15 weeks then to 7 weeks today.

Important Agricultural Inventors

• Eli Whitney– Invented the cotton gin in

1793 in Savannah, Georgia

• Cyrus McCormick– Patented the reaper in

1831

• John Deere– Manufactured the steel

plow in 1837

• John Lawes– Invented commercial

fertilizer in 1840s

• Joseph Dart– Built the first grain

elevators in 1842

• Nicholas Appert– Developed methods of

canning and freezing foods

What do Americans Eat?

• The average American family eats 2.5 tons of food each year.

• The average American eats:– 196 lbs. of grains– 77 lbs. of fats/oils– 213 lbs. of milk– 251 eggs– 118 lbs. of red meat– 20 lbs. of rice– 30 lbs. of cheese– 66 lbs. of poultry– 197 lbs. of fresh vegetables– 126 lbs. of fresh fruit

Important US Ag Legislation

• Morrill Act (Land Grant Act)– Passed in 1862– Provided public land

and funds to universities to teach practical methods of agriculture and manufacturing

– UGA was the first land grant college

• Hatch Act– Passed in 1887– Established experiment

and research stations in states with land grant colleges

– Instrumental in agricultural research and production advancements

Important US Ag Legislation

• Smith Lever Act– Passed in 1914– Established the

Cooperative Extension Service to disseminate information to communities based on teachings at land grant college and research at experiment stations

– Focus on outreach

• Smith Hughes Act– Passed in 1917– Established vocational

agriculture in public schools to teach new methods of agriculture production

Georgia Agricultural History• 1735: Georgia was the 1st colony to cultivate

grapes.• 1735: James Oglethorpe established the first

“experiment” station in Savannah, Georgia.• 1755: Georgia was the 1st colony to export cattle

back to England.• 1788: Georgia was the 1st state to export cotton.• 1874: Georgia was the 1st state to establish a

state Department of Agriculture.– Current commissioner is Gary Black.

• 1906: The first southern forestry school was established at UGA.

Georgia Agriculture

• Agriculture remains Georgia’s #1 industry.

• 1 in 7 Georgians work in the agriculture industry.

• In 2010, agriculture contributed about $68.9 billion to Georgia’s economy. That is about 15% of the total state economy.

• In 2011, Georgia ranked 1st in the US in pecan, peanut, rye, and broiler production.

Georgia Agriculture

• There are 47,000 farms in Georgia. This accounts for 10.3 million acres.

• The average farm in Georgia is 219 acres.

• Georgia ranks 16th among all states for agriculture production.

• Poultry and eggs contribute the most money to Georgia’s agricultural economy followed by row and forage crops, livestock and aquaculture, and vegetables.

Georgia Row & Forage Crops (Agronomy)

• 4.5 million acres in Georgia are used to produce traditional row crops.

• $2.4 billion farm gate value in 2010.• Georgia produces almost ½ of the

peanuts grown in the US.• Georgia yielded the 2nd highest cotton

acreage in 2011.• In Georgia, more than 64,000 jobs

were attributed to row crop production in 2010.

• Major row crops: peanuts, cotton, corn, hay, wheat, and soybeans.

Georgia Vegetables• $753 million farm gate value in

2010.• Most diverse and fastest growing

agriculture sector in Georgia.• Georgia ranks among the top 5

states for fresh market vegetable area harvested, production, and value.

• More than 15,000 Georgia jobs are attributed to the vegetable industry.

• Major vegetables: onions, watermelon, peppers, cucumbers, sweet corn, greens, and tomatoes.

Georgia Fruits & Nuts• $451 million farm gate value in 2010.• Georgia has ranked 1st in pecan production for a

number of years.• Although Georgia is called the Peach State, we

do not produce the most peaches in the US – South Carolina & California produce more.

• The fruit and nut industries attribute 13,000 jobs in Georgia.

• Major fruits & nuts: pecans, blueberries, and peaches.

Georgia Horticulture

• $586 million farm gate value in 2010.• The horticulture industry generates over

70,000 jobs a year in Georgia.• Urban development and growth is the major

reason for the increase in this industry.• Greenhouse production is the major sector of

horticulture production followed by container nurseries and turf grass.

Georgia Forestry

• $577 million farm gate value in 2010.

• More than 65% of Georgia’s land is in forestry.

• 66,000 jobs in Georgia relate to forestry.

• Timber is the major forestry industry followed by pine straw and Christmas tree production.

• Includes lumber, paper, syrup, rosin, turpentine, oil, and decorative wood.

Georgia Livestock & Aquaculture• $1.3 billion farm gate value in 2010.• Beef and dairy have been important livestock industries

for many years. Now there is an increased interest in horses, goats, quail, beekeeping, and catfish production.

• 44,000 Georgia jobs relate to livestock and aquaculture production.

• The major livestock industries are beef cattle, horses, dairy, and pork.

• Aquaculture relates to raising aquatic animals and plants (trout, catfish, tilapia, shrimp, alligators, water chestnuts, etc.)

• Entomology deals with beneficial and harmful insects (honeybees, ladybugs, termites, aphids, boll weevils, etc.)

Georgia Poultry• $5.4 billion farm gate value in

2010.• Today 115 of Georgia’s 159

counties are involved in poultry production.

• Georgia has led the country in broiler production for 27 consecutive years.

• There are 98,000 jobs in the poultry industry.

• On the average day, Georgia farmers produce 23 million pounds of chicken, 11.7 million table eggs, 7 million hatching eggs, and 75 tons of turkey meat.

Georgia Mechanical Technology

• Important areas include: machinery and equipment, buildings and facilities, earth structures (ponds, terraces, drainage ditches), fabricating metal, construction, and wiring electricity.

By-Products

• Every agricultural commodity has additional uses other than its primary purpose. These are known as by-products.– Animal by-products can be produced from bone,

horns, glands, hair, hide, and organs.– Plant by-products can be produced from hulls, pulps,

seeds, bark, and shells.– These by-products can be used for food,

pharmaceuticals and medicines, household items, clothing and upholstery materials, fertilizers, etc.

Top Georgia Ag Commodities - 20111. Broilers $3.46 Billion2. Cotton $1.18 Billion3. Chicken Eggs $491 Million4. Peanuts $432 Million5. Greenhouse/Nursery $376 Million6. Cattle/Calves $358 Million7. Dairy Products $317 Million8. Pecans $265 Million9. Corn $235 Million10. Blueberries $93 Million

Total value of all ag. commodities in GA $8.35 Billion

Effingham County Agriculture

• 203 farms totaling 40,425 acres (2007)• Average farm size = 199 acres (2007)• Total economic value = $2,148,552 (2007)