Basic Ag Awareness Agriscience Applications By: Johnny M. Jessup Agriculture Instructor/FFA Advisor

Basic Ag AwarenessAgriscience Applications

By: Johnny M. JessupAgriculture Instructor/FFA

Advisor

What is Agriscience?

The application of scientific principles and new technologies to agriculture.

Agriscience is……

An applied science because it uses principles learned in biology, chemistry, and physics (the basic sciences) in a practical way.

Examples of Agriscience

AgronomyUses biology and chemistry to discover new ways to control weeds in crops.

EntomologyUses biology and chemistry to study insect life.

Agricultural EngineeringUses physics to develop new machinery.

Agriscience employs…..The scientific method to solve problems.The steps to the scientific method are….

Identify the problem.Review literature.Form a hypothesis.Prepare a project proposal.Design the experiment.Collect the data.Draw conclusions.Prepare a written report.

What is Agriculture?

Activities concerned with the production of plants and animals, and related supplies, services, mechanics, products, processing, processing, and marketing.

USDA refers to agriculture as….

“Agriculture/ Agribusiness and renewable natural resources”.Another definition is food, fiber, and environmental systems.

Why is Agriculture/Agriscience Important?

Largest “employer” and the largest source of income in the United States and North Carolina.

Opportunities in AgricultureAgricultural production is supported by many more careers than actually exist in production.Many careers in agriscience products & distribution are needed to grade, transport, process, package, & market agriculture commodities.

Many careers for agriculture supplies & services are also important.

Projections show that the average size of farms in the U.S. will increase while the number of farms will decrease.

Opportunities in Agriculture

Twenty percent of all jobs in the U.S. are agriscience related.In addition to farming, agriscience jobs help support farmers to meet the world’s food & fiber needs.Areas include:

ProductionProcessing, products, and distributionSupplies and services.

World Outlook

The world population will grow as more people beget more people.

More children are surviving to adulthood.More adults are living longer.

Population growth will….Add stress to environmental systems of air, water, soil, and natural resources.Create challenges to meet the demands for food and fiber (clothing and shelter).

Trends for Agriculture/Agriscience

Agriculture will always be an essential industry.Increased commercialization of agriculture will continue.New types of farming such as aquaculture (fish farming and farming the sea) will be used as well as traditional farming methods.

Trends for Agriculture/Agriscience

An expanded view of agriculture is necessary.

Divisions of Agriculture

AgribusinessAgriscience MechanicsAgronomyAnimal ScienceBiotechnologyHorticultureNatural Resources

What is Agribusiness?

Commercial firms that have developed with or stem out of agriculture.

Agribusiness includes….

FarmingChemical companyFertilizer dealerSeed storeTractor dealer

HorticultureLandscape nurseryGreenhouse dealerHorticulture supply company

What is Agriscience Mechanics?

The application of engineering principles in agricultural settings.

Agriscience Mechanics includes….

The design, operation, maintenance, service, selling, and use of power units, machinery, equipment, structures, and utilities in agriscience.

What is Agronomy?

The application of soil and plant sciences to land management and crop production.

Agronomy includes….

Crop ScienceSoil ScienceTurfgrass ManagementWeed ScienceRange Management

What is Animal Science?

The care, management, and production of domestic animals.

Animal Science includes….

LivestockCompanion AnimalsSpecialty Animals

What is Biotechnology?The application of living processes to technology.The use of microorganisms, animal cells, plant cells, or components of cells to produce products or carry out processes.

Biotechnology includes….

GeneticsBiochemistryMicrobiologyToxicologyPlant Pathology

What is Horticulture?

Involves the producing, marketing fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants.(Green Industry)Continues to expand as the standard of living is raised.

Horticulture includes….

Greenhouse ManagementNursery ManagementLandscape ArchitecturePlant PhysiologyIntegrated Pest Management

What are Renewable Natural Resources?

Resources provided by nature that can replace or renew themselves.Important both economically and for posterity’s sake to maintain life.Agriculture & resources management will include pollution control.

Natural Resources - Forestry

Timber management for lumber, poles, post, plywood, and etc. is another part of the agricultural industry.

Other Examples include:

WildlifeWaterFishSoilsAir

What are Commodities?

Agricultural products which are sold.Examples:

MilkCornWheatBeefCotton

U.S. Agricultural Commodities#1 State Rankings

BeefDairyBroilersEggsTurkeys

TexasCaliforniaGeorgiaIowaMinnesota


SwineHorsesSheepFruitVegetables

IowaTexasTexasCaliforniaCalifornia


CottonWheatCornSoybeansPeanuts

TexasKansasIowaIllinoisGeorgia

U.S. Agricultural Commodities (Market Value of Products Sold)

Total CropsCalifornia

Total LivestockTexas

Total Ag IncomeCalifornia

Top 10 U.S. Ag Commodity Exports

#1 Soybeans#2 Corn*#3 Wheat#4 Cotton#5 Misc. Hort Products

#6 Poultry Meat**#7 Feed#8 Edible Tree Nuts #9 Pork#10 Feed Grain

*Consistently ranks in top 5 in U.S. grain exports year after year.

**Number 1 meat export as far as tonnage shipped from the U.S.

Top 10 Importers of U.S. Ag Commodities

#1 Canada#2 Mexico#3 Japan#4 China#5 South Korea

# 6 Taiwan# 7 United Kingdom# 8 Germany# 9 The Netherlands#10 Turkey

U.S. Dept of Agriculture

SecretaryMike JohannsNebraska


Oversees the following:

Food Safety InspectionCommodity Grading

• Meat• Fruit• Vegetables• Eggs


Oversees the following:School Lunch ProgramFood StampsAgricultural CooperativesU.S. Forest ServiceCooperative ExtensionAgricultural Marketing

North Carolina Agriculture

North Carolina is #1 in the following commodities.

TobaccoSweetpotatoes



HogsChristmas TreesTurkeys



PicklesTroutTotal Poultry & Eggs



BlueberriesBroilersGreenhouse/NurseryStrawberries



CatfishPeanutsSnap Beans


North Carolina is ranked in the top 10 nationally in the following commodities.

ApplesCottonGrapesTomatoesWatermelonsTotal Cash Receipts


Ranking in Agricultural Income#1 – Hogs#2 – Broilers#3 – Greenhouse & Nursery***#4 – Tobacco#5 – Turkeys

***Recently passed tobacco to crack the top 3.

SOURCE OF FARM CASH RECEIPTS, NORTH CAROLINA, 2003$6,916,349,000

North Carolina Agriculture#1 County by Commodity

HogsBroilersGreenhouse/NurseryTobaccoTurkeys

DuplinWilkesMecklenburgPittSampson


CottonEggsCattleMilkSoybeans

NorthhamptonIredellIredellIredellRobeson


CornChristmas TreesPeanutsSweetpotatoesWheat

BeaufortAsheMartinNashRobeson

North Carolina AgricultureTop Ten Counties in Farm Cash Receipts, North Carolina, 2003


North Carolina AgricultureAgricultural Research

North Carolina has two land grant universities.

North Carolina State University (1887)North Carolina A&T State University (1891)

NC Dept of Agriculture

Steve TroxlerCurrent CommissionerGuilford County



All agricultural issuesWeights & StandardsFood & Drugs in North CarolinaNC State Fair



Marketing• Farmer’s Markets• Goodness Grows

Program

Research StationsStructural PestsVeterinarian Program

Professional Agricultural Organizations

Allow professionals the opportunity to network, learn, and communicate.Provide trade shows and journals to update members on new methods, products, and technology.Use membership dues to finance commodity advertisement, trade journals, and educational programs for members.

Cooperative Extension ServiceLocated in all 100 counties and the Cherokee Indian Reservation.Provides information for those working in agriculture.Best free source of information for small agricultural businesses.Administers the 4H program.

Professional Agricultural Associations

Progress in Agriculture

Mechanization helps 2% of America’s work force to meet the food & fiber needs of our nation.There has been a reduction from 90% of the nation’s populace involved in farming 200 years ago.

Progress in Agriculture: Historical Events

George WashingtonIn 1785, he became the first American to own mules.Also introduced agricultural concepts such as terracing, crop rotation, and the use of cover crops.


Eli WhitneyInvented the cotton gin in 1793.Turned cotton into an usable product by removing cottonseed from the cotton fiber.

Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin


Thomas JeffersonIn 1814, Jefferson had his moldboard plow cast in iron.Was a marked improvement over the inefficient European plow.

Thomas Jefferson’s Plow


Cyrus McCormickInvented the grain reaper in 1834 to save labor in cutting wheat, oats, and similar crops.Later a threshing machine was added and it became known as a combine.

Cyrus McCormick’s Reaper


John DeereIn 1837, improved the iron plow by inventing the steel moldboard plow.Need caused by tough prairie soils.

John Deere’s Plow


Edmund W. QuincyInvented the mechanical corn picker in 1850.

Anna BaldwinChanged the dairy industry in 1878 by inventing a milking machine to replace hand milking.


Joseph GliddenInvented barbed wire in 1874.Used for livestock fencing.Tamed the west by allowing ranches with fixed boundaries to be established.


Booker T. WashingtonFounded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.Advocate of vocational education/skills development.The school was later given land-grant status.


George Washington Carver

Director of agricultural research at Tuskegee Institute in early 1900’s.Found new uses for soybeans, peanuts, and sweetpotatoes.Diversified southern agriculture.


John FroelichInvented the 1st gasoline powered tractor that could go forwards and backwards in 1892.His Waterloo Tractor Company was later bought out by the John Deere Co. in 1918.

John Froelich’s Tractor


Benjamin HoltInvented the traction system found on modern day tanks and bulldozers.Company went one to become Caterpillar Inc.This is where tractors get their name.

Benjamin Holt’s Tractor


Harry FergusonInvented the 3 point hitching system on tractors.Met with Henry Ford in 1938 and had the famous “Handshake Agreement”.

“The Handshake Agreement”

Ferguson Insignia on a Ford Tractor


In 1954, the tractor finally surpasses the mule as the main source of agricultural power.

Improving Life through Agriscience

SoybeansKnown as the “Yellow Jewell” to the Chinese.World’s most important source for vegetable oil.Provide basic materials for hundreds of products.Used as major food source in China in the form of tofu.


Baked PotatoesUSDA developed the pest resistant variety of potato called the BelRus.A superior baking variety.Bred to grow well in New England.


AerosolsDeveloped by the U.S. military to create a “bug bomb” to combat malaria.Present day pressurized cans originated from that early research.


Beltsville Small White Turkey

A 8-10 lb. turkey developed by USDA researchers.Need arose when American families decreased in size and 30lb. turkeys became too much.


The Green Revolution

Process whereby many countries became self sufficient in food production in the 1960s by using improved crop varieties and practices.


The Green IndustryThe modern horticulture industry with emphasis on turf and landscape plants.


Cultivated Blueberries

Blueberry industry launched when high-quality, large-fruited blueberries were developed.Blueberries had to be picked from the wild before this development.


Nutritional ValuesDetergent chemical methods were developed to analyze nutritional value of feed stuffs.Procedures now widely used in both human & animal nutrition.


Biological AttractantsChemicals only produce short term results.Traps created to capture large numbers of insect populations for integrated pest management programs.

Recent Breakthroughs in Agriscience

Mastitis ReducedHuman NutritionFire-Ant ControlCoccidiosis Control

Exotic FlowersSatellites & Nitrogen-Gas LasersSugar Beet & Rice Hybrids

Agriscience and the Future

The average American farmer produces enough food and fiber for 128 people.As the world’s population increases, it will require a more sophisticated agriscience industry to keep pace with demand.

Agriscience and the Future

The science of food production, processing, and distribution will require:

College graduates to fill roles as scientists, engineers, and other professionals.USDA reported an increased demand for graduates from agricultural colleges in the 90s.

Designed By:

Johnny M. Jessup, FFA AdvisorHobbton High School

Documents

Basic Ag Awareness Agriscience Applications By: Johnny M. Jessup Agriculture Instructor/FFA Advisor