Americans and Agriculture
explanatory Essay
1141 words
Americans and Agriculture
Works Cited Missing
Agriculture is not all work and no play. Many advances can be made in the understanding of agriculture by making available a variety of methods to provide children with a hands-on experience and also educating all individuals about the importance of the practice. The ignorance of urban communities can be overcome with the help of organizations and people within the community. School visits, hands-on experiences, volunteers and organizations are just a few examples of the steps that can be taken to educate Americans about agriculture and close the gap between rural and urban populations.
Agriculture is the science and practice of producing crops and livestock. The primary aim of agriculture is to use the land to produce more abundantly to feed and clothe the world at the same time protecting it from deterioration or misuse. Humans had to improve agriculture as they became more dependent on food, creating a solitary evolutionary connection between plants and animals (Campbell and Reece, 2001). In this day and age, so many people have forgotten the authentic premises of survival. It is easy for some to believe that the grocery stores produce food and clothing is produced by shopping centers. These inaccurate presumptions are being made due to the lack of knowledge of how agriculture truly works. There are also significant differences in the levels of understanding between rural and urban communities.
As doubts of economic possibilities of farming and ranching continue to decline, the true farmer still respects their land and practices. The general stereotype of farmers and ranchers is poor stewardship. Historically, hunters and farmers were more interested environmentalists than compared with the liberal, urban vegetarians of today. However both share the same conditions for living and breathing. This creates confusion between needing and wanting within a typical household (Kingsolver, 2003).
An easy answer to the problem is to provide proper education. Educating the young is the best way to get a point across and ensure that the America of tomorrow is less ignorant than the America of today. Children are eager to learn new things and are the best tool to promote agriculture (Robinson, 2005). There are many methods that can be made available to people of all ages, especially children, to increase their knowledge about agriculture.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that agriculture isn't all work and no play. advances can be made in the understanding of agriculture by providing children with a hands-on experience and educating individuals about the importance of the practice.
- Explains that agriculture is the science and practice of producing crops and livestock to use the land to produce more abundantly to feed and clothe the world while protecting it from deterioration or misuse.
- Explains that the stereotype of farmers and ranchers is poor stewardship. both share the same conditions for living and breathing, creating confusion between needing and wanting within a typical household.
- Opines that education is the best way to get a point across and ensure that the america of tomorrow is less ignorant than the american of today.
- Explains how andrew melton realized how little the local citizens were educated about farming, and felt he needed to be the one to promote farming in his british community.
- Describes how a mobile farm, called c-cow, was designed to promote greater knowledge of farming and the countryside for children and their teachers.
- Explains that the tribal college extension program of the usda—united states department of agriculture provides funding to make this possible.
- Explains how rider lydia sage-chase educates the children by sharing stories of her grandmother and the uses of the wool they collect from the sheep. they compete in the north dakota state fair’s montrail county achievement days.
- Opines that agriculture is a fun experience and rewarding at the same time. if the youth are educated properly, there will be more respect and understanding for the farmers and ranchers of tomorrow.
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- Saving American Agricultureexplanatory essaySaving American Agriculture American agriculture has changed dramatically since the first days of mechanized equipment and large-scale crop production. “Many conceived of farming as a rewarding life . . . and a source of moral virtue” (Mariola, 2005). While presently, many view farming as purely economic in purpose. It has been stated that farming in America is decreasing more quickly than any other occupation.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that agriculture has changed dramatically since the first days of mechanized equipment and large-scale crop production. while many view farming as purely economic in purpose, population increases steadily making agriculture all the more essential.
- Explains that water is the chief resource for agricultural production. misapplication of chemicals and nutrients leach into the ground water table, or run off to rivers and streams, polluting this vital resource.
- Opines that a balanced, long-term, low-impact urbanization program can be established to conserve land essential for agricultural practice.
- Explains that urbanization and other economic factors have impeded on past agricultural successes. outbreaks of illness and disease negatively impacted many agricultural productions.
- Opines that if quality crops can be produced, harvested, and sold efficiently to a local community of consumers, huge economic and environmental benefits will be apparent.
- Explains that many americans do not realize the fairly universal presence of genetically modified organisms (gmos) or the many beneficial aspects of modern agricultural biotechnology.
- Opines that agriculture will continue to be of paramount importance to our nation's success. it is important to consider realistic versus idealistic goals, and economic opportunity costs for conservation efforts.
- Cites matthew j. mariola, s. secchi, p.w. gassman, m. kurkalova, h.h. feng, t. campbell, and c. kling.
- Explains lamptey, barron, e.j., and pollard, d. impacts of agriculture and urbanization on the northeastern united states.
967 wordsRead More - Evolution Of Agricultureexplanatory essayAgriculture—it’s something that not very many people know much about. However, it is important for us to survive. Almost everything in our everyday lives is agriculture-related, from the food you eat to the clothes you wear.
In this essay, the author
- Explains the evolution of agriculture in america (1865-1995) and how it is important for us to survive.
- Explains that in 1870, the u.s. population was 38.6 million, with 18.4 million as the farming population. with the end of slavery, sharecropping replaced the slave plantation system.
- Explains that cattle people didn't have a real great way to contain their livestock. in 1874, barbed wire became available, putting an end to the open range grazing era.
- Explains that steam-powered tractors were being tried out as early as 1868, but didn't really take off until several years later. the case 150 horsepower steam traction engine was built in 1909.
- Opines that it is hard to imagine what our world would be like today if we didn't have tractors. more than half of the population would have to be farmers just to feed everyone.
- Explains that the great depression was a crisis that hit farmers, ranchers, and the entire country. the agricultural adjustment administration (aaa) was created to fulfill franklin d. roosevelt's first new deal program.
- Explains that farmers approved of the aaa program, as they could make more money with smaller inputs into their crops. however, tenant farmers and sharecroppers didn't do well.
641 wordsRead More - The Red Wheelbarrow Analysisanalytical essayEven though some people think modernizing is the key to a successful economy in the future, it doesn't mean that the farming industry should be reduced to the back burner when thinking about what is contributing to the ever-growing economy. My point here that agriculture is vital to America’s economy and should not altered should interest those who live in farming communities. Beyond this limited audience, however, my point should speak to anyone who cares about the larger issue of making sure agriculture is seen as an important asset that benefits citizens and other industries that utilize the products that are
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how williams uses emphasis to get the reader to focus on certain words that were purposely emphasized in the poem. the red wheelbarrow symbolizes agriculture since it was one of the main tools with a wheel utilized for farming.
- Analyzes how the lack of capitals in the poem indicates capitalism is causing the agriculture aspect of the economy to become less like it used to be.
- Analyzes how williams uses the same technique when he mentions the rainwater in the third stanza, which is separating them on two lines: "glazed with rain/ water."
- Opines that modernizing is the key to a successful economy, but it doesn't mean that the farming industry should be reduced to the back burner when thinking about contributing to an ever-growing economy.
- Analyzes how william carlos williams' "the red wheelbarrow" uses imagery, emphasis, and form to convey that agriculture is vital to america's economy and should not be altered or forgotten.
1094 wordsRead More - United States Agricultureexplanatory essayAgriculture was the most important economic activity in America from the founding of Virginia in 1607 to about 1890. Although farming declined rapidly in relative economic importance in the twentieth century, U.S. agriculture continued to be the most efficient and productive in the world. Its success rested on abundant fertile soil, a moderate climate, the ease of private land ownership, growing markets for farm produce at home and abroad, and the application of science and technology to farm operations.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that agriculture was the most important economic activity in america from the founding of virginia in 1607 to about 1890.
- Explains that the first settlers, finding that european agriculture could not easily be transferred to the new environment, adopted the indian practices of raising corn, squash, tobacco, and other crops.
- Explains that in new england, farmers raised corn, oats, and rye, vegetables and fruits, livestock, cattle and sheep. in the central colonies, wheat was the major crop, as well as livestock and animal products.
- Explains that agriculture from maryland, and southward, was more specialized and commercialized than in the north. the plantation system was developed in connection with the production of tobacco and rice.
- Explains that agricultural expansion was encouraged by removal of indians from choice farmlands, liberal public land policies, development of canal and rail transportation, demand for food and fiber in the growing towns and cities, and increasing exports.
- Explains that agricultural reformers advised farmers to rotate their crops, conserve soil, use fertilizers, adopt new crops and improve livestock breeds, and use the latest machinery.
- Explains that agriculture was a powerful engine behind american economic development in the first half of the nineteenth century.
- Analyzes how elise boulding argued that women initiated the agricultural revolution in two stages, horticulture and agricultural proper.
- Explains that the earliest settlements used horticulture farming; a style completely dominated by women.
- Explains that the women unknowingly invented the first form of pottery. although they spent less time in the fields, they kept extremely busy due to the surplus of food produced by the agricultural proper method of farming.
- Analyzes how elise boulding makes it clear that throughout the two stages of the agricultural revolution, horticulture and agriculture proper, women were very important. their actions led to crucial changes in the world’s way of life.
- Explains that slavery was a social institution defined by law and custom as the most absolute involuntary form of human servitude.
- Analyzes the emergence and growth of slavery in north america, focusing on the chesapeake region, the north, carolina's and georgia, followed by louisiana.
- Explains that enslaved africans were treated as indentured servants and freed after a term of service. tobacco was the chesapeake's regional crop, but its profits did not come close to those of sugarcane.
- Explains how the institution of slavery took root in the new colonies. as economic conditions improved, planters began to restrict the activities of african servants.
- Explains how the house of burgesses codified and systematized virginia's laws of slavery.
- Explains that the new law left the chesapeake bay region in the unique position of spanning free, border, and slave states.
- Explains that the north maintained a slave regime more varied and complex than the “peculiar institution of the south”. the work, ideas, and industry of slavery helped shape the biggest cities in the world.
- Opines that if it weren't for native american, women, and african slaves, the american agricultural society would not have developed today.
- Cites kevin reilly and elise boulding's books, women and the origins of patriarchy gathering, agricultural, and urban societies.
- Explains the hardships of the slaves while being departed from their home land.
- Explains that http://www.muslimedia.com/archives/features99/slavery.htm describes slavery in the south.
- Explains that agriculture was a significant part of society and america's early development.
- Explains how america's agriculture was developed and what roles were played to establish settlement.
- Describes the resources used to complete the assignment: kevin reilly, elise boulding, gilbert c. fite, american farmers, the new minority, john t schelbecker, and sandra johnson.
3163 wordsRead More - How the Agricultural Revolution Changed Everythingexplanatory essay“The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.” - Masanobu Fukuoka. That’s something people don’t understand about agriculture in the past, the present, and the future. Farming and agriculture is more than just planting a field and harvesting it, it’s a way of life. Generations molded and lived their life around farming. It’s a way to live, a way to make money, and a way to eat. So when you wake up in the morning and pour your cereal or throw your bread in the toaster, thank a farmer. For today, I’m here to talk about the Agricultural Revolution and how it transformed the way of life and triggered the Industrial Revolution.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings. generations molded and lived their life around farming.
- Explains how charles townshend invented a new crop rotation that included different crops like turnips and clover which kept nutrients in for other crops and replenished nutrients resulting in bigger yields.
- Explains how inventions like ships, steamers, toll roads, canals, and railways helped improve transportation of goods to more people, such as the seed drill made by jethro hull, improved communication and transfer information.
- Explains that the increase in population due to more food resulted in bigger demands for things like clothing and textiles. businessmen created the first factories of the industrial revolution, and the agricultural revolution produced bigger yields per worker.
- Explains that in the 1700s, people started to invent ways to improve the manufacture of cloth.
- Explains how john kay invented the flying shuttle, which increased the speed of the weaving process. james hargreaves invented a way to speed up the spinning process by attaching several spindles to one spinning wheel.
- Explains that 1 out of 8 canadian jobs are related to agriculture and one farmer feeds about 150 people. agriculture is pretty important unless you like starving.
- Explains burton's "beginnings of the industrial revolution in britian" and fukuoka, masanobu.
669 wordsRead More - Agriculture In American Agricultureanalytical essayBethany Alvarez, 2/26/14 Modern American Agriculture: It’s Effects on Crops and Farmers Corn has always been an essential to American agriculture. Yet the corn grown by our ancestors is unlike the corn we grow today; corn has changed in its quality, quantity, usage, and its inherent compromise. The age of industrialization provided new technology and techniques for farming. Agriculture became modernized in response to increased demand in the job and food markets.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how modern american agriculture has changed in its quality, quantity, usage, and its inherent compromise. agriculture became modernized in response to increased demand in the job and food markets.
- Explains that yellow corn dominates the market. iowa is the leader in corn production and has an over-abundance every year.
- Explains that modern day farmers can plant three times as much corn as their grandfathers. this impressive haul is due to its tolerance against elements of the environment.
- Explains that generational farmers are becoming a thing of the past, even with federal funding, and that corn is now being used as an additive in nearly every product.
- Explains that american farming has been changing drastically over the past century. with new technology and greater demands, agriculture has needed to modernize itself.
632 wordsRead More - With the continuous evolution of global industrialization and mechanization of agriculture since early 20th century, traditional farming that relied heavily on the labor of humans and animals has been gradually replaced by a modern form of capital intensive farming, considered more “efficient” through the application of science and engineering. Despite the fact that industrial agriculture has brought a rapid increase in world food production, it has also attracted criticisms and demands for a better form of agriculture. Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, and Vandana Shiva, the three environmental activists, have all claimed in their essays and speech that, industrialized agriculture has negative impacts on our environment, farming economy, and the survival of traditional farmers. They all call for a better kind of agriculture that is more sustainable, resilient with natural biodiversity.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how industrial agriculture has attracted criticisms and demands for a better form of agriculture. michael pollan, wendell berry, and vandana shiva have all claimed that industrialized agriculture had negative impacts on our environment.
- Explains that michael pollan, wendell berry, and vandana shiva have all claimed that the massive use of chemical herbicide and fertilizer in industrial agriculture has contributed to the environmental degradation.
- Analyzes pollan, berry, and shiva's criticisms of industrial farming.
- Analyzes how wal-mart drives down prices by squeezing its suppliers. berry's "renewing husbandry" describes the difficult position of farmers.
- Analyzes how pollan, berry, and shiva suggest a better form of agriculture that is sustainable and biodiverse and follows the old rule of ecological coherence.
- Concludes that pollan, berry, and shiva have argued that industrial agriculture has deleterious effects over our environment, farming economy and the survival of traditional farmers.
- Cites berry, wedwell's "the agrarian standard." orion magazine summer 2002, n. pag.
- Analyzes pollan, michael, and web.pollan's articles on "an animals' place."
855 wordsRead More - Chain vs Cycleargumentative essayThroughout his book, Michael Pollan, the author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, describes his experiences in the industrial food industry, and explains how a simple, but foundational crop, such as commodity corn, can be processed and transformed into what we know as fast food. Throughout his investigative journey to discover the origins of his meal, however, Pollan discovers that the agrarian food culture depicted on industrial food packaging is inaccurate and that the industrial food industry has drifted far from society’s idealistic model of self-sufficient organic farming. Although the industrial food industry may be efficient in some ways, it is far from being self-sufficient. A farm in the industrial food industry is “on the bottom rung of the industrial food chain…using [the] land to produce energy and protein, mostly to feed animals. Corn is the most efficient way to produce energy, soybeans the most efficient way to produce protein” (“The Farm”, pg. 54). As opposed to this industrial farm, in an organic farm such as Salatin’s Polyface Farm, the food chain is represented by the symbiotic relationships between the land, the plants, and the animals, which allows it to be more self-sufficient than its counterpart. Where in the industrial food chain, corn is the basis of the farm, in the organic food chain, grass “is the foundation of the intricate food chain Salatin has assembled at Polyface, where a half dozen different animal species are raised together in an intensive rotation dance on the theme of symbiosis” (“All Flesh is Grass, pg. 126). When juxtaposing the two polar ends of the food industry, there is a clear discrepancy between the logic of human industry and the logic of nature. The differ...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how michael pollan, of the omnivore's dilemma: a natural history of four meals, describes his experiences in the industrial food industry.
- Explains that the industrial food industry searched for crops that would enable them to achieve this level of efficiency, and found corn. its versatility as a crop made it an economic treasure.
- Explains that although organic farms are more energy efficient than industrial farms, it is important to note that only a fifth of the total energy used to feed us is consumed on the farm.
- Explains that cost efficiency is a highly desired quality of farming, whether it is for industrial farming or organic farming.
- Explains that salatin's polyface farm represents the food chain by the symbiotic relationships between the land, plants, and animals. this allows nature to run its natural course and be highly self-sufficient.
- Explains that salatin has a diverse farm, filled with livestock, plants, and soil. by planting crops, he heals damaged soil, which can be used to plant more crops.
- Explains that organic farms highlight their methods of being both energy and cost efficient. the sun provides the solar energy for plants to grow and for symbiosis.
- Explains that industrial farming has become one of the most successful enterprises in america by increasing food industry profits at this incredible rate. the ladder of industrial food chain offers advantages in the form of cheap food and energy.
- Explains that organic farms, like polyface, do not support the vision of the agricultural businessman because the process does not follow the industry’s rules of efficiency.
- Compares the industrial and organic food industries, stating that both have become integral parts of society. the industrial food industry has more of a presence in society, but many people view farming from an organic perspective.
1278 wordsRead More - Agricultural and Rural Society After the Black Deathanalytical essayHistory provides the opportunity to explore the origins of a topic or problem. The information from Agriculture and rural society after the Black Death provides an overview of agricultural and rural society’s agrarian issues; during the Middle-Ages these issues were centered around depopulation and social conflict (Dodds & Britnell, 2008, pp.3-50). Problems in the economics of society in the medieval fourteenth century involved the decline of social status and labor services (Dodds & Britnell, 2008, pp.73-132). Other examples are seen in change and growth describe of that in 1870, the Great Plains only had 127,000 people; six decades later in 1930, there were 6.8 million people; 74 percent of the population lived in non-metropolitan areas; from 1930 to 1940, there was a loss of 200,000 people; 75 percent of these counties lost populations from the Great Depression and severe drought, which had caused the abandonment of farms (Kandel & Brown, 2006, p.431). To understand these past experiences, the door to hindering issues must be opened to determine how agricultural sustainability forges change.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that history provides the opportunity to explore the origins of a topic or problem.
- Explains how the focus of communities draws the lens to the united states and its data about rural communities.
- Explains that science and sustainable food are a combination that explores sustainable agriculture as security.
- Explains that agricultural biotechnology is used to develop agricultural products or improve livestock or crop plants. the research states that small farms constitute 90 percent of the world’s farms and employment of 1.3 billion people.
1519 wordsRead More - Factory Farmers: America's Very Own Bulliesopinionated essayFactory Farmers: America’s Very Own Bullies “We take care of animals, and the animals take care of us.” (Rollin 212). The preceding phrase is a policy that American farmers in the old west lived their lives by. Modern farmers live do not live their lives anywhere near to this phrase because they own factory farms, and the whole reason for having a factory farm is to fit as many animals in a small space as possible in order to maximize profit. Factory Farms, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) first appeared in the 1920s, right after Vitamins A and D, because if animals are given these vitamins in their diets, exercise and sunlight are not necessities for the animals to grow anymore (In Defense of Animals 1).
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the growing number of factory farms is coupled with the decreasing population of rural areas, which means many people are beginning to factory farm because it yields a higher profit.
- Opines that america must work to make factory farms a better place for animals to live.
- Explains that the "universal declaration of the rights of animals" states that animals have a right to live with respect and shall not be killed without reason. animal rights are not enforced as much as they should be.
- Explains that hens that produce eggs are given half a sheet of paper in their cage that is shared with many others, the space allowed is not even enough for them to stretch their wings.
- Explains that factory farmers change their dna to ensure the production of larger thighs and breasts, which make it difficult for their tiny bones to support their massive weight.
- Compares the behavior of chickens and pigs with those of dairy and meat cows.
- Explains that many animals raised in confinement develop health issues that affect the well-being of mankind and the planet. factory farmers, as a whole, give their animals over half of the world's antibiotics.
- Explains how kremer learned from his infected leg experience and stopped giving his animals medicine to remain healthy. farmers have no use for the manure from their animals because they do not raise them outdoors.
- Explains that cafos produce more greenhouse gases than the entire transportation sector because of the close relation of methane to the food consumed by animals that is eventually excreted as waste.
- Opines that if we reverted back to traditional methods, there would not be enough food for the country to eat and the food would be ridiculously expensive.
- Quotes matthew scully, a former speech writer for president bush, who says 90% of humanity would never touch meat again if they witnessed what farmers do.
- Explains how joel salatin treats his animals with equality and respect. if new, better, and more efficient ways of farming are discovered, it would make a lot more people happy.
- Opines that the world could be doomed to live with these potent gases everywhere, without laws to govern the emissions and waste management.
- Opines that sick animals are not good news because they are where most of america's meat and dairy comes from and if it is contaminated, the people who eat it will probably become sick.
- Explains bittman, mark, and glenwood high school's elibrary, "rethinking the meat-guzzler."
- Explains that borman, jasianna, "farm or factory." proquest platinum. glenwood high school lib.
- Explains the environmental impact of factory farms. issues & controversies on file. facts on file news services.
- Cites issues & controversies on file's "factory farms." facts on file news services, 31 jan 2003.
- Cites hamer, ed., "corporate organics." ecologist, 01 dec 2007.
- Describes issues & controversies on file, facts on file news services, and 2facts.
- Explains morgan, sally, and the new encyclopedia of science: ecology and environment.
- Opines that philpott, tom, "how farm policy affects us all." mother earth news.
- Describes rollin, bernard, and stephen g. post's encyclopedia of bioethics.
- Analyzes schwartz, richard, "bali talks missed key issue: factory farming’s horrible effects." wisconsin state journal.
- Explains that weeks, jennifer, "factory farms." cq researcher 17:2(2007). glenwood high school lib.
3876 wordsRead More