essay about livestock farming

• History & Society
• Science & Tech
• Biographies
• Animals & Nature
• Geography & Travel
• Arts & Culture
• Games & Quizzes
• On This Day
• One Good Fact
• New Articles
• Lifestyles & Social Issues
• Philosophy & Religion
• Politics, Law & Government
• World History
• Health & Medicine
• Browse Biographies
• Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
• Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
• Environment
• Fossils & Geologic Time
• Entertainment & Pop Culture
• Sports & Recreation
• Visual Arts
• Demystified
• Image Galleries
• Infographics
• Top Questions
• Britannica Kids
• Saving Earth
• Space Next 50
• Student Center
• Introduction

Beef cattle breeds

• Beef cattle feed
• Beef cattle management
• Diseases of beef and dairy cattle
• Breeding and growth
• Production systems
• Basic dietary requirements
• Special dietary requirements
• Disease prevention
• Common diseases
• Donkeys and mules

livestock farming

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• Univ ersity of Minnesota Extension - Livestock farm management
• National Geographic - Science - The Future of Livestock Farming
• Frontiers - Frontiers in Animal Science - Exploring the Potential of Precision Livestock Farming Technologies to Help Address Farm Animal Welfare
• Academia - Livestock Production
• The National Academies Press - Animal Feeding Operations
• Table Of Contents

livestock farming , raising of animals for use or for pleasure. In this article, the discussion of livestock includes both beef and dairy cattle , pigs , sheep , goats , horses , mules , asses, buffalo, and camels ; the raising of birds commercially for meat or eggs (i.e., chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl , and squabs) is treated separately. For further information on dairy cattle breeds , feeding and management, see dairying . For a discussion of the food value and processing of meat products, see the article meat processing . For a further discussion of breeds of horses, see the article horse: Breeds of horses .

An efficient and prosperous animal agriculture historically has been the mark of a strong, well-developed nation. Such an agriculture permits a nation to store large quantities of grains and other foodstuffs in concentrated form to be utilized to raise animals for human consumption during such emergencies as war or natural calamity . Furthermore, meat has long been known for its high nutritive value, producing stronger, healthier people.

Ruminant (cud-chewing) animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats convert large quantities of pasture forage , harvested roughage, or by-product feeds, as well as nonprotein nitrogen such as urea, into meat, milk , and wool. Ruminants are therefore extremely important; more than 60 percent of the world’s farmland is in meadows and pasture. Poultry also convert feed efficiently into protein; chickens, especially, are unexcelled in meat and egg production. Milk is one of the most complete and oldest known animal foods. Cows were milked as early as 9000 bce . Hippocrates, the Greek physician, recommended milk as a medicine in the 5th century bce . Sanskrit writings from ancient India refer to milk as one of the most essential human foods.

The British Isles led the world in the development of the principal beef breeds ; Herefords, Angus, beef Shorthorns, and Galloways all originated in either England or Scotland . Other breeds of greatest prominence today originated in India (Brahman), France (Charolais; Limousin; Normandy), Switzerland (Simmental), and Africa (Africander). The Hereford breed, considered to be the first to be developed in England, probably descended from white-faced, red-bodied cattle of Holland crossed with the smaller black Celtics that were native to England and especially to Herefordshire. By the middle of the 18th century the slow process of selective breeding that resulted in the smooth, meaty, and prolific Herefords had begun. The United States statesman Henry Clay of Kentucky imported the first purebred Herefords to America in 1817.

The Hereford, which became the most popular beef breed of the United States, is distinguished by its white face, white flanks and underline, white stockings and tail, and white crest on the neck. Its body colour ranges from cherry to mahogany red. It is of medium size, with present-day breeders making successful efforts to increase both its rate of weight gain and mature size, in keeping with the demand for cheaper, leaner beef.

The Polled Hereford is a separate breed of cattle originating from hornless mutations in 1901. It has the same general characteristics as the horned Hereford and has gained substantial favour because of its hornlessness and often faster rate of weight gain.

The Aberdeen Angus breed originated in Scotland from naturally hornless aboriginal cattle native to the counties of Aberdeen and Angus. Solid black, occasionally with a spot of white underneath the rear flanks, the breed is noted for its smoothness, freedom from waste, and high quality of meat.

Although the native home of the Galloway breed is the ancient region of Galloway in southwestern Scotland, it probably had a common origin with the Angus. The Galloway is distinguished by its coat of curly black hair. Though the breed has never attained the prominence of other beef breeds, it has been used extensively in producing blue-gray crossbred cattle, obtained by breeding white Shorthorn bulls to Galloway cows.

The beef, or Scotch, Shorthorn breed developed from early cattle of England and northern Europe, selected for heavy milk production and generally known as Durham cattle. These were later selected for the compact, beefy type by the Scottish breeders. Emphasis on leaner, highquality carcasses in the second half of the 20th century has diminished the popularity of this breed. The Polled Shorthorn originated in 1888 from purebred, hornless mutations of the Shorthorn breed. The milking, or dual-purpose, Shorthorn , representing another segment of the parent Shorthorn breed, also was developed in England to produce an excellent flow of milk as well as an acceptable carcass, therefore resembling the original English type of Shorthorn. Shorthorns range in colour from red through roan, to white- or red-and-white-spotted.

The Brahman breed originated in India, where 30 or more separate varieties exist. Preference is given to the Guzerat, Nellore, Gir, and Krishna Valley strains, which are characterized by a pronounced hump over the shoulders and neck; excessive skin on the dewlap and underline; large, droopy ears; and horns that tend to curve upward and rearward. Their colour ranges from near white through brown and brownish red to near black. Their popularity in other areas such as South America and Europe, into which they have been imported, is attributable mainly to their heat tolerance, drought resistance, and resistance to fever ticks and other insects. The Santa Gertrudis was developed by the King Ranch of Texas by crossing Brahman and Shorthorn cattle to obtain large, hearty, tick-resistant, red cattle that have proved to be popular not only in Texas but in many regions along the semitropical Gulf Coast . Until the tick was eradicated in the southern and southwestern United States, Brahman crosses were raised almost exclusively there.

Several lesser breeds have been developed from crosses of the Brahman on other beef breeds such as: the Charbray ( Charolais ), Braford (Hereford), Brangus (Angus), Brahorn (Shorthorn), and Beefmaster (Brahman-Shorthorn-Hereford).

The Charolais breed, which originated in the Charolais region of France, has become quite popular in the United States for crossing on the British breeds for production of market cattle. The superior size, rate of gain, and heavy muscling of the pure French Charolais and the hybrid vigour accruing from the crossing of nonrelated breeds promise an increased popularity of this breed. Many American Charolais, however, carry significant amounts of Brahman blood, with a corresponding reduction in size, rate of gain, and muscling. Important in France, the Charolais is the foremost meat-cattle breed in Europe.

The Limousin breed, which originated in west central France, is second in importance to the Charolais as a European meat breed. Limousin cattle, often longer, finer boned, and slightly smaller than the Charolais, are also heavily muscled and relatively free from excessive deposits of fat.

The most prevalent breed of France, the Normandy , is smaller than the Charolais or Limousin and has been developed as a dual-purpose breed useful for both milk and meat production. A fourth important breed is the Maine–Anjou, which is the largest of the French breeds.

The Simmental accounts for nearly half of the cattle of Switzerland, Austria, and the western areas of Germany. Smaller than the Charolais and Limousin, the Simmental was developed for milk, meat, and draft . It is yellowish brown or red with characteristic white markings.

Moving Towards Sustainability: The Livestock Sector and the World Bank

The livestock sector is a pillar of the global food system and a contributor to poverty reduction, food security and agricultural development. According to the FAO,  livestock contributes 40% of the global value of agricultural output and supports the livelihoods and food and nutrition security of almost 1.3 billion people.  At the same time, there is wide scope to improve livestock sector practices so that they are more sustainable, more equitable, and pose less risk to animal and human health. 

Livestock play a major role in sustainable food systems—for example, manure is a critical source of natural fertilizer, while livestock used as draft animals can help boost productivity in regions where there is low mechanization. Livestock are important assets for vulnerable communities. Globally, around  500 million pastoralists  rely on livestock herding for food, income, and as a store of wealth, collateral or safety net in times of need. Locally, livestock production systems have the potential to contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and to carbon sequestration in soils and biomass. In harsh environments, such as mountains and drylands, livestock is often the only way to sustainably convert natural resources into food, fiber, and work power for local communities. 

Increasing incomes, changing diets, and population growth have led to increased demand and made  the livestock sector  one of the fastest growing agricultural sub-sectors in middle- and low-income countries. This represents a major opportunity for smallholders, agribusiness, and job creators throughout the livestock supply chain. However, if not properly managed, this growth risks accentuating sustainability issues that span equity, environmental impacts, and public health. 

The transformations that accompany growth are an opportunity to move the livestock sector toward more sustainable development and improved contribution to human diets. Productivity levels and practices can be managed in ways that address adverse impacts on land, water, and the environment, as well as the risks posed to animal and human health.

Currently, the livestock sector emits an estimated 7.1 GT of CO2-equivalent per year,  representing 14.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions . Increasing the efficiency of livestock supply chains is key to limiting the growth of GHG emissions in the future. 

Moving towards environmental sustainability in the livestock sector 

The World Bank is committed to improving the livestock sector’s contribution to sustainable development. The Bank supports countries to manage and respond to growing demand for animal protein in ways that are significantly less harmful for the environment and contribute significantly less to climate change. 

Investing in veterinary services and animal disease surveillance is also crucial to improve animal health and welfare, reduce economic impact of animal diseases, improve food safety, and reduce risks of antimicrobial resistance. The prevention of animal diseases can limit transfer of animal pathogens to humans and control the emergence of deadly zoonotic diseases at the animal source, where action is most cost-effective. Improved livestock management is an integral part of the “ One Health ” approach, which seeks to optimize human, animal, and planetary health.

As part of its commitment to helping countries build sustainable, nutritious food systems, the World Bank is moving its livestock investments towards greater sustainability and climate-smart outcomes. All investments are designed with mitigation and adaptation in mind, and an average of 61% of livestock financing over the last three years is directly tied to climate co-benefits (up from 55% in the previous period).

Bank-supported projects seek to improve various dimensions of livestock systems and value chains, using levers such as efficiency gains, balancing of animal rations and sustainable sourcing of feeds, carbon sequestration in agricultural landscapes, energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources, animal health and welfare, and better manure management. 

For example, the  Sustainable Livestock Development Program in Kazakhstan , approved in 2020, includes ambitious environmental objectives to develop a sustainable beef sector and contribute to diversifying the economy away from oil and mineral resources. The program aims to increase beef production while pursuing an absolute reduction of GHG emissions. This will be achieved in three ways: by increasing productivity and decreasing GHG emissions per unit of product through improved livestock management practices; by increasing soil carbon sequestration through improved grazing management practices; and by adopting energy-efficient equipment and renewable energy to reduce and displace fossil fuel use.

Similarly, ongoing projects in  Ethiopia  and in  Bangladesh  are anticipated to dedicate US$108.8 million and US$259 million, respectively to climate co-benefits. They promote the use a climate-smart practices among farmers and processors, enhance GHG emission monitoring and reporting capacities, and address the particular issue of clean cooling technology along the value chain. 

Through ongoing studies and the development of blueprints, the World Bank seeks to improve financial incentives for livestock producers who reduce GHG emissions in their operations, by  providing easier access to climate finance  (such as mitigation offsets or conditional lines of credit). 

The Bank is working to share knowledge and guidance in a format that is relevant to the need of investment teams. With partners, the Bank has prepared a  guide to investment in sustainable livestock . The first section of the guide addresses environmental issues and climate change. The second section addresses health-related issues. A third section, under development, will address the equity dimension of sustainability.

In Patagones, a semi-arid area of  Argentina ,  switching from growing cereal to improved and natural pasture for grazing livestock  is one of several strategies used by farmers to combat desertification and adapt to climate change. The switch to more resilient land and water management practices was piloted by a  World Bank project financed by the United Nation’s Adaptation Fund  and implemented by Argentina’s Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development.

In the Sahel, the Regional Sahel Pastoralism Support Project (PRAPS) supports the countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. In a region too dry to allow for sedentary livestock, pastoralists move their herds according to the availability of water and pasture – an early form of climate adaptation . The project helps to protect pastoral systems by improving resource management and animal health, facilitating access to markets, diversifying sources of income for pastoral households, and managing conflicts. The project established infrastructure around water points, pasture for livestock, vaccination stations, livestock markets, and fodder storage. Between 2015 and 2020, the project helped establish and improve the management of more than 5 million hectares of pastureland, 181 water points, and 66 cattle markets. It also supported the economic activity of 20,700 people, 88% of whom were women.  

In Armenia , the Bank is helping to improve the productivity and sustainability of livestock and pasture systems in 109 communities managing 207,000 hectares of community pasture areas. 

In  Mexico  in 2016 , 1,165 small and medium agribusinesses, including businesses focused on livestock production, adopted environmentally sustainable energy technologies such as bio-digesters, reducing C02 emissions by 3,388,670 tons.

In  Uruguay , the Bank is supporting government efforts to help farmers adopt climate-smart livestock practices . To date, on-farm investments have improved carbon sequestration in grasslands and energy efficiency of beef and dairy supply chains. The project has also helped  minimize and collect waste, and promote sustainable and organic soil management by reducing fertilizer use and conserving water on dairy farms.  All dairy producers in the Santa Lucia watershed (which covers clean water needs for half the country) must now supply Sustainable Dairy Plans that are mapped and tracked in an integrated information system known as SNIA, as part of a broader national effort to better manage natural resources and improve decision-making using digital technology. About 500 out of 1,200 dairy farms in the Santa Lucia watershed have also been equipped with improved effluent management systems.

In  Vietnam , a Bank-supported project benefited over 151,000 livestock farmers . A key feature of the project has been the implementation of good animal husbandry practices (GAHP). Twenty-three thousand one hundred seven household-based producers received technology and learned techniques to reduce negative environmental impacts, 362 meat-processing plants improved their waste-treatment systems and 489 wet markets upgraded their facilities to improve hygiene and food safety. 

In  Colombia , the World Bank has engaged with local partners to pilot innovative approaches to sustainable cattle ranching production. The  Colombia Mainstreaming Sustainable Cattle Ranching Project , co-funded by the UK government and the Global Environmental Facility, has allowed nearly 32,000 hectares of degraded land to be converted to silvopastoral systems (combining livestock and trees) allowing for the capture of 1.05 million tons of CO2 equivalent and the conservation of biodiversity, including 50 native species, since it started as a pilot project in 2011. Individual ranchers received training, technical assistance, key inputs such as planting materials at low costs, and financial incentives.  The adoption of silvopastoral systems has achieved a 17% increase in milk production, 18.5% reduction in production costs, and a 23% increase in average number of cows per hectare between 2011 and 2018.

Last Updated: Feb 22, 2022

• Investing in Sustainable Livestock Guide
• Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Safeguarding Animal, Human and Ecosystem Health: One Health at the World Bank
• Opportunities for Climate Finance in the Livestock Sector: Removing Obstacles and Realizing Potential
• Minding the Stock: Bringing Public Policy to Bear on Livestock Sector Development

This site uses cookies to optimize functionality and give you the best possible experience. If you continue to navigate this website beyond this page, cookies will be placed on your browser. To learn more about cookies, click here .

The future of livestock farming

Farming animals for food raises complex questions. Livestock’s versatility makes them central to the survival of millions of people in marginal areas.

A cow lazily swishes its tail at a persistent buzzing, but the drone maintains its station hovering above the herd. The images it collects are analyzed with data from the animals and an array of sensors around the farm. A few miles away, the farmer acts on the information and decides to move the herd. Virtual gates open in an invisible fence and the drone emits a signal that stirs the animals into movement. Such futuristic cattle farming is not so far away. Farming animals for food raises complex questions. Livestock’s versatility makes them central to the survival of millions of people in marginal areas. Meat and dairy are excellent sources of protein, vitamins, and minerals, and when managed correctly livestock contribute to important ecosystem functions such as soil fertility. But there are concerns over the industry’s sustainability. Meat is a relatively inefficient way to produce calories. Livestock use up about 40% of global arable land to deliver 20% of human calorific intake: the ratio is 12 calories of chicken for every 100 calories of grain; beef is 3 to 100. However, while livestock consume around one third of all cereal production, 86% of their plant diet comes from grass, leaves, and other foods humans cannot eat. In this way, it’s argued, livestock positively contribute to food security by making the inedible, edible. As the debate continues, so does demand. Over the last thirty years, meat and dairy consumption has tripled in low and middle-income countries, largely driven by rising prosperity and urbanization. This growth is on top of already enormous demand in developed nations: the average American consumes 222lbs of meat per year. With global demand forecast to increase a further 80% by 2030, this could place a severe strain on our ability to feed a growing population with earth’s limited agricultural land. The world’s 1.4 billion cattle, plus billions of pigs and chickens, already occupy two billion hectares of grasslands, of which some 700 million hectares could arguably be used more effectively to grow crops that can be eaten directly by humans. One potential solution, unless we all become vegetarians, is to make farmed animals more productive. The average farm animals may not be meeting their genetic potential when it comes to production; but techniques and technologies are being developed and deployed to close that gap and keep meat on the menu. Farmers have always striven for efficiency. For millennia they have selectively bred animals to increase their inherent resilience and productivity: in the USA, dairy cows produce four times more milk than 75 years ago. With genome sequencing, artificial insemination, and embryo transfer, science could soon bring some animals to peak productivity. Supporting this is better nutrition, improving an animal’s conversion of feed into protein. Adding natural enzymes and organic acids increases the digestibility of feeds, enabling animals to draw more nutrition from a greater variety of poorer plants. It also supports a healthier gut making them less susceptible to disease. A growing understanding of animals’ precise nutritional needs is producing feeds tailored to optimize their energy, protein, and vitamins while improving overall wellbeing—better yields and healthier herds. At the heart of most people’s vision of future farming is technology, and the drones, sensors, and wearables of precision farming all contribute to greater efficiency. Drones are increasingly used to monitor the health and productivity of both animals and the land they graze. Able to operate over vast swathes of difficult terrain, a drone fitted with infrared sensors and multi-spectrum, high-definition cameras can send real-time images of herds and flocks. This helps farmers to quickly and easily find lost animals, identify newborns, and diagnose sickness in herds and individual animals. Equally, drones show the condition of pasture, informing decisions on moving animals for food, water, or safety. It may even be possible to teach livestock to follow a drone like a high-tech, long-distance sheepdog. Drones will be just one of many digital inputs feeding information back to the farmer. 3D cameras at water troughs can accurately assess an animal’s weight and carcass grade for optimum yield, while also identifying possible illness. Thermal imaging cameras in the cow shed can detect the inflammatory condition mastitis that reduces milk production, and camera systems in chicken sheds can monitor thousands of individual birds to spot the behavior changes associated with many poultry problems. Smart collars and wearables could one day monitor everything from fertility to health, with E-tags clipped to the ear constantly measuring body temperature while Bluetooth-enabled sweat strips send reports on sodium, potassium, and glucose levels. Even a cow’s breath can be analyzed for signs of nutritional problems. Armed with the ubiquitous smartphone, a farmer can use apps for on-the-spot diagnoses such as detecting metabolic diseases in cows and pigs from just a few snapshots. Livestock farmers have been early adopters of robotics, and rapid advances are being made in everything from automatic feeders to herder bots. This technology is more than labor saving: automated milking robots enable cows to be milked according to their individual biorhythms, improving their health and yield. At the same time, robots are capturing vast amounts of information. All this digital data will synchronize with farm management software to provide the farmer with an overview of the health of a whole herd as well as specific actions for individual animals. An extension of this is cybernetic grazing that uses GPS and animal-mounted collars to measure the height of grass and move the herd to fresh pastures by opening and closing virtual fences defined by stimuli based on sight, sound, or shock. Not all improvements are high-tech. Silvopastoral systems, where animals graze among shrubs and trees with edible leaves or fruits, produce more milk and meat as well as being better for the animals and environment. In Colombia, planting the shrub Leucaena with pasture grass increased protein by 64%, while elsewhere it is credited with higher milk production. One of the most radical possibilities for meeting our future needs is cellular agriculture – growing animal-based protein products from cells instead of animals. Growing meat in factories resembling breweries would cut out the need for feed, water, and medicines while freeing up valuable agricultural land. The science and the economics are still being worked out, but it could make a valuable contribution to meeting the challenge, since it seems that the desire for meat growing, not going away. We asked some big questions about living a better life. Discover more about how we can overcome the world’s biggest challenges at natgeo.com/questionsforabetterlife

Related Topics

• SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
• URBAN AGRICULTURE

You May Also Like

Samurai towns, Japanese oyster farmers and coastal art on the back roads of Honshu

Do happy hens make better eggs?

This is the world’s most expensive cow

5 of the best Indigenous winter adventures in Sweden's Sámi country

Fine dining, cheesemakers and distilleries: a gourmet tour of Aberdeenshire

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

• Bachelor’s Degrees
• Master’s Degrees
• Doctorate Degrees
• Certificate Programs
• Nursing Degrees
• Cybersecurity
• Human Services
• Science & Mathematics
• Communication
• Liberal Arts
• Social Sciences
• Computer Science
• Admissions Overview
• Tuition and Financial Aid
• Incoming Freshman and Graduate Students
• Transfer Students
• Military Students
• International Students
• Early Access Program
• About Maryville
• Our Faculty
• Our Approach
• Our History
• Accreditation
• Tales of the Brave
• Student Support Overview
• Online Learning Tools
• Infographics

Home / Blog

Why Is Agriculture Important? Benefits and Its Role

July 12, 2022 

Tables of Contents

What Is Agriculture?

Why is agriculture important, how is agriculture important, importance of agriculture in everyday life, how does agriculture affect the economy, importance of agricultural biodiversity, why is agriculture important for the future.

When people think of agriculture, they often envision crop farming: soil and land preparation and sowing, fertilizing, irrigating, and harvesting different types of plants and vegetation.

However, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) , crop farming is just one element of the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting sector. Agriculture also encompasses raising livestock; industrial forestry and fishing; and agricultural support services, such as agricultural equipment repair and trucking operations.

Why is agriculture important? It helps sustain life by providing the food we need to survive. It also contributes $7 trillion to the U.S. economy. Despite agriculture’s importance, the Economic Policy Institute reports that farmworkers are among the lowest-paid workers in the U.S.

However, agriculture also provides opportunities for economic equity and helps people prosper around the world. For example, since 2000, the agricultural growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa has surpassed that of any other region in the world (approximately 4.3% annually), contributing to the region’s economic gains, according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). While there’s been a global decline in agricultural jobs — from 1 billion in 2000 to 883 million in 2019, according to employment indicators from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — agriculture remains the second-highest source of employment (26.7% of total work).

Study the impact of access to natural resources, such as water, air, plants and animals

The online BS in sustainability from Maryville University will prepare you to build a better, more sustainable future. Accelerate your degree completion with our transfer credit-friendly program. No SAT or ACT scores required.

• Engage in a range of relevant course topics, from biology to business statistics.
• Learn how human health is connected to the environment through environmental science and health courses.

Agriculture is the practice of cultivating natural resources to sustain human life and provide economic gain. It combines the creativity, imagination, and skill involved in planting crops and raising animals with modern production methods and new technologies.

Agriculture is also a business that provides the global economy with commodities: basic goods used in commerce, such as grain, livestock, dairy, fiber, and raw materials for fuel. For example, fiber is a top crop in U.S. agricultural production , according to The Balance Small Business, and a necessary commodity for the clothing sector.

Back To Top

Agriculture impacts society in many ways, including: supporting livelihoods through food, habitat, and jobs; providing raw materials for food and other products; and building strong economies through trade. Source: The Balance Small Business.

A key to why agriculture is important to business and society is its output — from producing raw materials to contributing to the global supply chain and economic development.

Providing Raw Materials

Raw materials are a core building block of the global economy. Without access to raw materials, manufacturers can’t make products. Nonagricultural raw materials include steel, minerals, and coal. However, many raw materials derive from agriculture — from lumber for construction materials to herbs for adding flavor to food. Corn, for example, is used to produce foods and serves as a foundation for ethanol, a type of fuel. Another example is resins : plant products used in various industrial applications, such as adhesives, coatings, and paints used in construction.

Creating a Strong Supply Chain

Importing and exporting goods such as agricultural products requires shipping methods such as ocean freight, rail, and trucking. Delays in shipping agricultural products from a Los Angeles port can create problems in China, and vice versa, impacting the global supply chain.

For example, sales of soybean crops from Iowa skyrocketed in 2021 due to various factors including delays in South American crop shipments, according to the Iowa Soybean Association. In this example, Iowa benefited from a competitive standpoint. However, delays in shipping crops could also be detrimental to regions expecting shipment, limiting availability of products on store shelves and affecting livelihoods.

Encouraging Economic Development

Agriculture impacts global trade because it’s tied to other sectors of the economy, supporting job creation and encouraging economic development. Countries with strong agricultural sectors experience employment growth in other sectors, according to USAID. Countries with agricultural productivity growth and robust agriculture infrastructure also have higher per capita incomes, since producers in these countries innovate through technology and farm management practices to boost agricultural productivity and profitability.

Resources on the Importance of Agriculture

The following resources provide information about the importance of agriculture as a source of raw materials and its impact on transportation and contribution to economic development:

• American Farm Bureau Federation, Fast Facts About Agriculture & Food : Provides various statistics demonstrating why agriculture is important.
• The Western Producer, “Suddenly Agriculture Is Important ”: Highlights agriculture’s role as a stable commodity provider even amid disruption.
• LinkedIn, “What Is Agriculture and Its Importance? ”: Discusses the importance of agriculture in 10 areas.

When global supply chains are disrupted , considerable attention is given to the technology sector. For example, the lack of computer chips — made from silicon, a nonagricultural raw material — limits a manufacturer’s ability to make computers, cars, and other products. This impacts many areas of society and business.

Agriculture also plays a central role in meeting consumer and business market demand in a world with interconnected economies. Here are different types of products derived from agriculture.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are essential sources of fiber, proteins, and carbohydrates in human diets. Vitamins, such as A, C, and E, and minerals, such as magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus, are naturally occurring in many fruits and vegetables. In addition to health benefits, fruits and vegetables add flavors to the human palette.

Animal Feed

Some fruits and vegetables are grown to provide feed for animals, from poultry to livestock. The American Industry Feed Association reports that about 900 animal feed ingredients are approved by law in the U.S. These include ingredients that come from agricultural production, including hay, straw, oils, sprouted grains, and legumes.

Natural Rubber Production

The number of vehicles in the world  is more than 1.4 billion, according to Hedges & Company market research. Every single one runs on rubber tires. According to GEP, the top rubber-producing countries are Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia — collectively representing approximately 70% of  global natural rubber production  — and about 90% of suppliers are small-scale farmers.

Cotton for Clothing

From cotton to clothes, the journey starts with agricultural production. Cotton is grown, harvested, and then processed, spun, and woven into fabric before it becomes a piece of clothing. Cotton production encompasses an expansive global supply chain, and according to Forum for the Future , it’s a leading commodity, making up approximately 31% of all textile fibers globally.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports favorable economics of biofuels , produced from biomass sources including agricultural products such as corn, soybeans, sugarcane, and algae. The benefits include reduced greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions and the potential for increased incomes for farmers. However, biodiesel production requires the use of land and water resources that can affect food costs.

Industrial Products

Bio-based chemistry involves using raw materials derived from biomass to develop industrial products. Different industrial products derived from bio-based chemicals include bioplastics, plant oils, biolubricants, inks, dyes, detergents, and fertilizers. Bio-based chemicals and products offer an alternative to conventional products derived from petroleum products. Bio-based chemistry is considered a type of green chemistry because it promotes the reduction of environmental impacts in industrial production.

Pharmaceutical Products

For thousands of years, humans have turned to plants to help treat what ails them. For example, ginger, a plant root typically consumed in tea, can help aid digestion. Substances derived from plants and herbs can also help in healthcare. For example, extracted chemicals from the foxglove plant are used for digoxin, a drug used for heart failure. Another example is polylactic acid (PLA), a chemical produced when glucose is fermented into lactic acid in green plants. PLA has applications in tissue engineering, cardiovascular implants, orthopedic interventions, cancer therapy, and fabrication of surgical implants, according to a study published in Engineered Regeneration .

Agricultural products provide essential resources for daily activities, such as: getting ready for work in the morning, thanks to coffee and clothes; washing hands with soap; fueling vehicles to travel; preparing and eating food; and minding health through medicines and treatments. Sources: Commodity.com, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ThoughtCo, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For thousands of years, agriculture has played an important role in everyday life. Before agriculture, hunting and gathering enabled humans to survive. It wasn’t until the transition to the planned sowing and harvesting of crops that humans began to thrive. Humans developed tools and practices to improve agricultural output with more efficient means of sustaining themselves. From there, innovations that created industries led to the modern era.

Today, the importance of agriculture in everyday life can’t be minimized. Without the agriculture sector, activities such as getting dressed for work and cleaning the home wouldn’t be possible. Here are examples of the agricultural products we use in our everyday lives:

• Shelter . Wood and plant-based materials, such as bamboo, can be used for indoor décor and construction materials.
• Morning routine.  Mint is often an ingredient in toothpaste, adding flavor while brushing your teeth, and the caffeine in coffee that keeps you awake is derived from the coffee bean.
• Dressing up.  In addition to cotton, clothing can be manufactured from hemp, ramie, and flax. Bio-based materials can be used to produce grooming products such as skin creams and shampoos.
• Cleaning.  Two types of chemicals used in detergents, cleaning products, and bath or hand soap — surfactants and solvents — can be produced from biomass.
• Driving to work.  Plants make it possible to get to and from work. Think of rubber (sourced from rubber trees) and biodiesel fuel, which often includes ethanol (sourced from corn).
• Entertainment.  Paper from trees enables you to write, and some musical instruments, such as reed instruments, require materials made from plants.
• Education.  From pencils (still often made of wood) to paper textbooks, students rely on agricultural products every day.

Agriculture can have a significant effect on the economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service reports that  agricultural and food sectors  provided 10% of all U.S. employment in 2020 — nearly 20 million full- and part-time jobs. Additionally, the USDA reported that  cash receipts from crops  totaled nearly $198 billion in 2020.  Animal and animal product receipts  weren’t far behind in 2020, totaling $165 billion.

The interdependence of the  food and agriculture sector  with other sectors, including water and wastewater systems, transportation systems, energy, and chemical, makes it a critical engine for economic activity, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Agriculture also impacts economic development by contributing to the overall U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), directly and indirectly. It does so through farm production, forestry, fishing activities, textile mills and products, apparel and food and beverage sales, and service and manufacturing.

• Farm production.  The latest USDA data on  farming and farming income  report the U.S. had a little over 2 million farms, encompassing 897 million acres, in 2020. Farm production includes producing fruits, vegetables, plants, and varieties of crops to meet demand for agricultural products throughout the country and abroad.
• Forestry and fishing activities.  Agricultural activities include forestry and harvesting fish in water farms or in their natural habitat.  Agroforestry is focused on “establishing, managing, using, and conserving forests, trees and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values,” according to the USDA. A form of fishing activity known as  aquaculture  involves the production of fish and other sea animals under controlled conditions to provide food.
• Textile mills and products.  The  S. cotton industry  produces $21 billion in products and services annually, according to the USDA. The industry has created various employment roles, such as growers, ginners, and buyers working on farms and in textile mills, cotton gins, offices, and warehouses.
• Apparel and food and beverage sales.  Since agriculture is a business, selling products made from agricultural production is essential. A key aspect of the sales component in agriculture is to help growers build capacity and understand the market dynamics to meet the needs of customers, many of whom care deeply about Food services and eating and drinking places accounted for 10.5 million jobs in 2020, the largest share among all categories within the agriculture and food sectors, according to the USDA.
• Manufacturing.  Agricultural products contribute to the manufacturing of a huge variety of goods, including food and beverage products, textiles, cleaning and personal products, construction materials, fuels, and more. According to the USDA, food and beverage manufacturing companies employ about 1.7 million people in the U.S.

Here’s how agriculture directly and indirectly contributes to the U.S. gross domestic product: farm production, forestry and fishing activities, textile mills and products, apparel and food and beverage sales, and service and manufacturing. Sources: American Farm Bureau Federation, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the USDA.

Here are ways agriculture and related industries impact economic development:

Agribusiness

Agribusiness  consists of the companies that perform the commercial activities involved in getting agricultural goods to market. It includes all types of businesses in the food sector, from small family farms to global agricultural conglomerates. In the U.S., farms contributed about $136 billion to GDP (about 0.6% of total GDP) in 2019, according to the USDA.

However, farms are just one component of agribusiness. Agribusiness also includes businesses involved in manufacturing agricultural equipment (such as tractors) and chemical-based products (like fertilizers) and companies involved in the production and refinement of biofuels. USDA data reports that in total, farms and related industries contributed more than $1.1 trillion to GDP, a little over 5% of the GDP, in 2019.

The  economics of agribusiness  also entails building production systems and supply chains that help maintain a country’s economic and social stability. Through the development of organizational and technological knowledge, agribusiness plays a vital role in protecting the environment and biodiversity near farms and using natural resources sustainably.

Food Security

Food security  is central to the agricultural industry:  Sustainable agriculture  is a key to fulfilling the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including  SDG 2 :  Zero Hunger . In addition to food security, the agricultural sector raises the incomes among the poorest communities  up to four times more effectively  than other sectors, according to the World Bank.

Job Creation

Throughout the world, agriculture plays an important role in job creation. For example, agriculture accounts for 25% of exports in developing countries in Latin America, about 5% of their regional GDP, according to a report about  the importance of agribusiness  from BBVA, a corporate and investment bank. This activity is a source of economic activity and jobs in these countries. In the U.S., agriculture and related industries provide 19.7 million full- and part-time jobs, about 10.3% of all employment.

Resources on the Economic Impact of Agriculture

The following resources highlight agriculture’s impact on the economy, from how disruption affects the business and the benefits of the sector to people’s livelihoods:

• Economic Research Service, Farming and Farm Income : Provides an overview of trends in farming and economic development statistics.
• American Journal of Agricultural Economics, “The Importance of Agriculture in the Economy: Impacts from COVID-19” : Highlights why agriculture is important based on the impact of COVID-19’s disruptions to the sector.
• Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, “Agriculture, Transportation, and the COVID-19 Crisis” : Discusses how transportation services that COVID-19 has disrupted can impact agricultural supply chains.

Advanced farming equipment and the increased use of fertilizers and pesticides have resulted in higher crop yields. At the same time, they’ve impacted the environment, contributing to soil and water pollution and climate change. NASA projects a 24% decline in corn crop yields by 2030, thanks to climate change. However, ensuring a healthy biodiversity can help mitigate the impact. Here are some factors to consider:

• Sustainable agriculture.  Through  sustainable agricultural practices , farmers and ranchers help ensure the profitability of their land while improving soil fertility, helping promote sound environmental practices, and minimizing environmental impacts through  climate action .
• Climate change regulation.  The agricultural sector produced about 10% of U.S.  greenhouse gas emissions  in 2019, according to the EPA. Regulation and policy changes can help promote sustainable practices in the sector and provide guidance on agricultural adaptation to address the challenges that climate change poses.
• Agriculture technology and innovation.  From temperature- and moisture-sensing devices to GPS technologies for land surveys to robots,  agriculture technology  can result in higher crop yields, less chemical runoff, and lower impact on natural resources.

Agricultural Biodiversity Resources

Find information about agricultural biodiversity and its impacts in the following resources:

• Our World in Data, “Environmental Impacts of Food Production” : Discusses how sustainable agriculture offers a path to addressing food and nutrition issues.
• IBM, “The Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture and How We Get There” : Addresses how artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics technologies help farmers maximize food production and minimize their environmental impact.
• S. Environmental Protection Agency, The Sources and Solutions: Agriculture : Explains how agriculture can contribute to reducing nutrient pollution.
• FoodPrint, Biodiversity and Agriculture : Provides answers to what it will take to preserve the health of the planet to safeguard our own food supply.
• Brookings, “What Is the Future of Work in Agri-Food? ”: Discusses the future of agricultural automation and its impact on work.

Agriculture offers an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of food-insecure people and help countries develop economies that create jobs and raise incomes. Today’s agriculture also impacts future generations. To ensure the long-term success of the global agricultural sector, building a more sustainable economic system aligned with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals is a crucial imperative to help create a more equitable society.

Infographic Sources

American Farm Bureau Federation, “Farm Contribution to Agricultural GDP at Record Low”

Bureau of Economic Analysis, “Gross Domestic Product (Third Estimate), Corporate Profits (Revised Estimate), and GDP by Industry, Second Quarter 2021”

Commodity.com, “Learn All About Agricultural Commodities and Market Trends”

Environmental Protection Agency, Commonly Consumed Food Commodities

The Balance Small Business, “What Is Agricultural Production?”

ThoughtCo, “List of Medicines Made From Plants”

USDA, Ag and Food Sectors and the Economy

USDA National Agricultural Library, Industrial, Energy, and Non-food Crops

Bring us your ambition and we’ll guide you along a personalized path to a quality education that’s designed to change your life.

Take Your Next Brave Step

Receive information about the benefits of our programs, the courses you'll take, and what you need to apply.

85 Farming Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best farming topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on farming, 💡 most interesting farming topics to write about.

• The Farmers’ Market Analysis For the farmers the benefit lies in the cost saving of the production transportation and in the ability of the wholesale with the large grocery companies.
• Dairy Meal as an Important Concentrate in Dairy Cow Farming The number of times that the dairy meal is fed to cows depends on the management regime of the cow. The dairy meal is one of the feeds that guarantee better productivity to the farmer.
• Role of Technology in the Future of Farming The role technology has to play in farming in the future needs to be in great as it has been in the transportation sector in the past.
• Natureview Farm: Problem Case It is in this regard that Wagner advised the management to increase the firm’s revenues from $13 million to $20 million before the end of 2001.
• Natureview Farm’s Strategic Plans The chief executive officer of Natureview analyzed the market stance and tasked his team to develop strategic plan to ensure that the revenue growth increase by over 50% at the end of the year 2001.
• The Process of Raising Factory Farm Chickens The lives of the chickens that are raised in the factory farm begin at the hatching machines. As such, the welfare of the chickens is secondary to profitability.
• Decline in the Honeybee Population and Farmers in the United States The analysis of farming in the country shows that the added revenue to crop production because of the pollinators’ activity is about $18 billion. Statistics evidence the topicality of the problem and the necessity to […]
• Farm-to-Table Supply Chains for Supermarkets A potential risk is that small farms may be unable to provide a steady supply of the necessary magnitude or adhere to the same standards of quality.
• Farmer’s Market as a Food Event: Fresh and Straight From the Farm If I were to describe the entire scene an apt description would be to call it a scene of ordered chaos in that despite the sheer amount of people crisscrossing in front of me there […]
• Large-Scale Organic Farming and Food Supply The issue of environmental sustainability comes up due to the emerging ways of farming like the great shift of the farmers to the use of organic methods of farming.
• Fish Farming in the United States In the present day, the potential of the country’s fish farming is substantively limited by national, state, local, or tribal policies and opposition by national and local interest groups. Nevertheless, the supporters’ recent efforts and […]
• Artificial Intelligence in Smart Farming Owing to the development of the smart farming concept and precision agriculture, farmers all over the world gained a chance to implement digital tech to their daily operations and utilize AI to support some of […]
• What Kind of Energy Can Be Produced from Corn in Farms Over the years, corn has been used to produce alcohol in the form of ethanol, a major raw material for the production of energy.
• Organic Farming for Sustainable Food Production The article is titled “Will Organic Agriculture Feed the World,” and it provides its readers with an overview of the statistics that apply to the sustainability of organic farming.
• Rearing of Cattle: Deprecating the Beef Farming It is for this reason that the whole world has to pose as ask the question “What are the causes of global warming?” The answer is simple, climate change and resultant global warming has to […]
• The Entomo Farms Company’s Analysis Such an approach contributes to improved control over the company’s development and ensures that Entomo can incorporate customers’ feedback for enhancement.
• Fish Farming Impacts on the Environment To begin with, according to Abel and Robert, fish farming has been generalized to have adverse effects on the environment, which ranges from the obliteration of the coastal habitats which are sensitive in the environment, […]
• Food and Farming: Urban Farming Benefits the Local Economy Urban farming and foraging play essential roles not only in the lives of communities but in the ecosystems as well. Such responsive attitudes allow people to protect the environment and create more opportunities for local […]
• The Ethics of Farm Animal Biotechnology From an Anthropological Perspective Biotechnology is one of the most important branches of science, the results of which are used in many areas. The use of animals in the context of biotechnology is a daily routine for researchers.
• “The Biggest Little Farm” Movie Critique The film is a documentary and shows the real life and the desire of the husband and wife to create their wonderful farm where they can grow vegetables and fruits, as well as have different […]
• Prices at Farmers Markets vs. Grocery Stores When evaluating the items ordered at grocery retail locations to those acquired at local traders’ marketplaces, it is revealed that the commodities purchased at hypermarkets are more reliable and outstanding in form and structure.
• Smart Farms Hiring People with Disabilities Although Smart Farms is a non-profit organization and benefits from donations, the workers play their role in income generation by working on the farms and sales.
• Marketing of Indoor Farming in the UAE Adding to that, the delivery service, health benefits, and availability of Local Leaves products can be advertised on all social media platforms to help the company get the recognition it needs in a short period […]
• Demand for Indoor Farming Services in the UAE For any business, it is essential to be sure of the readiness of customers to buy the product. The likelihood of buying the service may be defined by the data, indicating the popularity of the […]
• Sunrise Farm’s Research of Its Customers Needs In this regard, the exploratory mixed methods approach was chosen to study the possibilities of diversifying the activities of Sunrise Farm. In particular, a semi-structured approach to the interviews was chosen that is suitable for […]
• Offshore Wind Farms (OWFs) and Their Development The process involves the establishment of the limiting factors like site boundary, the maximum number of facilities to be installed, identification of dwellings that rotor blade shadows may affect, and a minimum spacing of the […]
• Cato’s “On Farming”, a Translated Part of Famous Treatise “De Agri Cultura” Review From this point of view, Cato’s recommendations are ideal: the location of the willow tree immediately after the vineyard and the garden is not accidental, since in this passage a scale of the main and […]
• Farm-to-Table Food: Dissemination Portfolio Modern American families try to adhere to the principles of Healthy People 2020 with its promotion of the so-called farm-to-table food and farm-to-school programs.
• Law: Legislation Regarding Marijuana Farming To evaluate the applicability of the proposed marijuana farming bill, the current marihuana production legislation needs to be reviewed, and the changes in social norms regarding criminal behavior are to be analyzed.
• Artificial Intelligence in Drone Technology for Farming Automated drones fitted with spraying features are used in the monitoring of agricultural processes and crops to schedule tasks and expeditiously address the observed issues throughout plant life.
• Problems Facing American Farmer Workers The owners of farms will continue to exploit these people since they are not afraid of any law that is in place and working as it should to protect this group of people.
• Food Processing and Farming Methods Afoakwa, Budu, and Merson note that nutrient loss in canned food depends on the amount of heat that is applied during the pre-treatment step, the type of tin, and the type of nutrients in the […]
• Face Recognition in Farming: The Multi-UAV Framework Indeed, the consumer wants a delicious and quality meat product, and it is known that the absence of stress in the life of an animal directly affects the structure of the meat.
• Using IoT Low-Cost Sensors for Smallholder Farms It is, therefore, essential for the users and IoT systems and devices developers to collectively ensure that the internet and the users of such components are not exposed.
• Building a Sky Garden: Vertical Farming System Business Plan It helps farmers to appreciate the benefits of valuing more the depth of land fertility than the size of land holdings.
• United States History in 1864-1900 Years: Industrialization, Urbanization, and the Commercialization of Farming The Western frontier advanced in the years 1864 and 1900 by the establishment of democracy in America, industrialization, urbanization and the commercialization of farming.
• Competitive Market: Farm Income and Costs Connecting the farms in the US to the concept of the perfectly competitive market, the definition and the characteristics of such a market should be outlined.
• Agro-Food Geographies: Food, Nature, Farmers and Agency Therefore, the important thing in food and nature depends on the geographies of food and the beneficially is the subject, Currently, agro-food study is affected continuously by the current improvements in the agro-food geographies, especially […]
• Standards for Confining Farm Animals One major concern that has been brought to the attention of animal farmers, in general, is the issue of whether or not it is appropriate to confine all or certain farm animals.
• Linking Small-Scale Farmers to Input-Output Markets Output markets refer to the markets that are used by the farmers or businessmen to market their products while the input market is used by the same group to access products that are to be […]
• Farmers Exchange Bank’s Strategic Human Resources Every employee of the bank is bounded to maintain the secrecy of the customers. This principle of the bank has greatly contributed to the success of the firm and increased the profitability of the business.
• Why the Best Soil in the Province of BC Is Not Used for Farming The opportunity cost for farming is, therefore, lower than the opportunity cost for the warehouses/airports. So you have got no opportunity cost for this because this is the best option for your building and it […]
• Fish Friendly Farming Case FFF viewed farmers as people with a vast amount of knowledge about the land and agricultural practices and those who were interested in supporting their lands fertile and farming productively. The case of FFF and […]
• New Zealand Farming Industry. Organization Theory and Design One of the most critical issues that the Guy fielding farm is facing is the organizational structure of the company. The gathering of 2009 and Macdonald’s fear that he will be left out, heated the […]
• Farming and Regulations in California The American government made multiple attempts to control the flow of immigrants to the county and the degree of their involvement in work in the agricultural industry.
• The Farm Labor Organizing Committee Movement Chapter 3 of the book by Barger, Reza, and Velasquez is dedicated to the history of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee and the movement associated with this labor union and the promotion of immigrant farmworkers’ […]
• Sprouts Farmers Market Company’s Entry to Canada The proportion of older people in Canada is also increasing thanks to improved living standards and access to affordable health care.
• Farmers and Their Role in the American Agriculture The recent changes in the world’s largest countries’ economies can be a good illustration of the exclusive role of agriculture which can enable a state to play an important role in the world.
• Kimango Farms Environmental Factors In 2015, the government established the Tanzania Agriculture Development Bank which is focused on assisting in developing the agricultural sector and assisting in the implementation of policies.
• Kimango Farm Enterprises: Business Plan Cultural values in a country guides business operations as well as it is important to be sensitive and understanding of these norms and attitudes.
• Farmers Views: Should Organic Food Be Promoted From? Organic food is grown and produced using natural methods, and it is believed that such products are safer and more nutritious than conventionally processed ones due to the rejection of the use of any artificial […]
• Kimango Farm Enterprises: Business Analysis of Tanzania The primary motivation and purpose of the company is to grow healthy and organic foods through sustainable farming techniques and to offer the world a piece of Tanzania.
• Impact of Antibiotics on Farm Animals One of the primary reasons for this condition in people is the use of antibiotics in farming. However, the use of antibiotics is associated with the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in people.
• Agriculture and Farming in Abu Dhabi Many researches have been done on soil taxonomy in the UAE, with the invention of a non-absorbent type of soil that was one of the breakthroughs that have greatly influenced agriculture in Abu Dhabi.
• Pre-Industrial Societies and Farming Patricia Crone has created a work where she discusses the trends and elements of pre-industrial societies in the world, particularly those that existed in the West. Farming was a key element in the pre-industrial era […]
• Susan Ferriss: United Farm Workers in “The Fight in the Fields” The focus of the reading is on the identity of Chavez and the evolution of the United Farm Workers, which is also the major event in the book.
• The Impact of Factory Farming The fish population is also subject to this problem, as the long-term overcrowding may lead to the higher competition for food and result in stress and decline of the immune defense, which can cause the […]
• Bernard Matthews’ Farm Marketing Issues Valuable prizes and practical involvement should elicit in the customers the necessity to purchase Bernard Matthews’ products and actively participate in the life of the brand. Nonetheless, the key changes should be performed in the […]
• Farm, Companion, Laboratory Animals in Canada This paper will give facts on four categories of animals kept in Canada; the farm animals, animals used in experiments, animals used as companions to people and those used in entertainment. The category of wild […]
• Farm Security Administration and New York Photo League The disagreement regarding the focus of the Film and Photo league served as the basis for the emergence of The Photo League in 1936.
• Tasty Farms’ Changes and Communication Networks Following all the steps of effective change management models is crucial in ensuring that available resources are properly aligned to meet the objectives of change. Due to the resistance from the employees, the process of […]
• Laying Hens Farm: Peach Farm and Olive Farm In the Peach Farm, the chain feeders are placed at a lower position than the average height of the hens. Therefore, if the perch space is sufficient, as in the Olive Farm, the hens are […]
• Managing Farm Dams to Support Waterbird Breeding The frequent fires and forest clearance in these areas have led to extensive migration of different species of birds. For example, they should take some of the endangered birds and breed them separately in a […]
• Agriculture Improvement: The US Farm Bill Nadine Lehrer, who has been studying the bill, asserts, “The bill was developed in the wake of 1930’s farm crisis to bring farm incomes up to the par with the required minimum incomes”.
• Farming and Ranch Management Considering the varied nature of the job of a Farm or Ranch Manager, the college offers “the Farm and Ranch Management Degree and the Agriculture Management Certificate”.
• Farming Effects on Golden Sun Moth Agriculture has led to the destruction of the natural habitat of the moth. Farming practices have led to the dramatic reduction of the grass needed for the survival of this moth.
• Farmer Definition and Culture The era of information the has led, to the creation of the particular image of success, and mass media created an image of a successful and stylish businessman.
• The Near-Shore Wind Farm Controversy Case The developers and the investors made the decision to persuade the residents to accept their position regarding the importance of the wind turbines.
• Farm Standard Council Case: Cost Allocation Some costs cannot be classified as either fixed or variable costs and yet they have to be allocated somewhere in the process of allocating costs to different cost centers.
• Greater Gabbard Wind Farm Mega Project The project management unit must understand the needs of all the stakeholders identified in the first stage, and how these needs are aligned to the needs of the project.
• Compensation System of State Farm Insurance With the philosophy, State Farm should provide insurance brands to students and young adults falling in this age gap in order to detach them from other insurance and make them independent.
• Irrigation Systems in Farming Because of the changing climate, and the region landscape, most farmers use irrigation schemes to support their practices of subsistence farming.
• Swidden Agriculture: Shift Farming Although this farming technique has been efficient in the past, it has proved to be unsustainable with the current increase in the global population.
• Small Scale Farm-Household System In general, a farm household system is comprised of the various parameters that govern the operation and sustainability of the system.
• Farming and Animal Consumption In essence, debate on farming methods and animal consumption has been a challenge not only to farmers but also to the society. It is, therefore, necessary to consider that numerous changes would be required to […]
• Large-Scale Shift to Organic Farming to Increase World Food Supply However, the acceptance of non-organic farming as the solution to the world’s food problem is not unanimous and there has emerged a vocal group advocating for the use of organic farming.
• Animal Abuse Research Topics
• Deforestation Research Ideas
• Environment Research Topics
• Industrial Revolution Research Ideas
• Wind Energy Essay Topics
• Technology Essay Ideas
• Wildlife Ideas
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 29). 85 Farming Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/farming-essay-topics/

"85 Farming Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 29 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/farming-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '85 Farming Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 29 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "85 Farming Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/farming-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "85 Farming Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/farming-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "85 Farming Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/farming-essay-topics/.

These Cattle Farmers Are Cutting Emissions and Boosting Nature

C ows are not the problem. It’s the way they’re managed and farmed that is creating a climate problem, says Peter Byck, a professor of practice at Arizona State University’s sustainability school and producer of the 2020 short film series Carbon Cowboys and most recently, Roots So Deep . “I’ve found examples of ranches in the U.S. that are adding to their herd, and yet, reducing their carbon footprint through regenerative practices. So, cows can actually be part of the solution to climate change, when regeneratively grazed.”

While estimates vary for livestock’s climate impact—ranging anywhere from 11.1% to nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions—cows, in particular, have been vilified as the problem because of their methane-laden burps and farts.

“Yes, absolutely, cows emit methane. But that’s not the full story,” says Byck. “It’s the large-scale industrial production of livestock that has put a strain on the environment.”

The solution, says Byck, is adaptive multi-paddock grazing, commonly referred to as AMP grazing. This practice, which involves ranchers periodically shifting their cattle between different plots of land, helps farmers create carbon sinks with their herds, he explains. It’s akin to how bison roamed the open plains of the U.S., with long rest periods between each grazing that gives grasses time to grow, thereby enriching the soil. “Overgrazed pastures, instead, look like a golf course,” says Byck.

More growing time also supports a greater diversity of plants, and with that more birds and insects, all of which help fight off pests in a natural approach, he explains. Meanwhile, the vegetation covers the soil, keeping the ground cool and allowing microbes to thrive, which play a key role in storing carbon in the soil.

Read more: Cow Burps Have a Big Climate Impact. Solving That is Harder than You’d Think

Through Arizona State University, Byck is leading a team of researchers from around the country who are studying how AMP grazing compares to conventional grazing. So far, they have produced nine peer-reviewed papers since 2016, and have another nine in various stages of writing and analysis. On greenhouse gasses specifically, accounting for CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide, unpublished preliminary results shared with TIME show that AMP grazing is helping sequester 12.1 tons of CO2e per hectare per year. That’s equivalent to the carbon emissions released by the annual electricity usage of two homes. In comparison, conventional cattle production sequesters 2.9 tons of CO2e per year—equal to the emissions released from a gas-powered car driving some 6,700 miles.

The average beef cow herd in the U.S. is made up of 44 cows , according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and often it’s this size of farm that adopts regenerative practices. But Byck says it can be done at much larger scales too. In one of his short films, he features Emry Birdwell, co-owner of Birdwell & Clark Ranch in Texas who has been practicing AMP grazing with 5,000 cattle across 14,000 acres of land. He’s seen the changes on his land first-hand: large bare patches of soil, hundreds of acres wide, are now covered with grasses for the cattle to graze on. The weeds are under control, without any added sprays, which Birdwell says can be like “dropping an atom bomb because you’ll kill some of the good ones too.” Instead, the cattle do that job for free.

Overall, farmers have told Byck that they’ve saved at least $50,000 each year, if not more, by not having to buy nitrogen fertilizer. Plus, they’ve been able to cut back on insecticides, pesticides, and several other farm inputs. “When I started researching this style of grazing back in 2012, I heard from many farmers that they were doing this for economic reasons, not environmental reasons. That was just an added benefit,” he says.

Dairies, like cattle ranches, also rely heavily on cows for their business; thus, they too have adopted regenerative practices, including rotational grazing, to improve soil health, capture carbon, and become more sustainable. While AMP grazing is one approach, these dairies are also experimenting with a variety of other regenerative methods.

Read more: The Cow That Could Feed the Planet

Blake Alexandre, co-founder and owner of Alexandre Family Farms , which became the first regenerative organic certified dairy in the U.S. in 2021, says that he’s seen an improvement in water retention in his soils since focusing on organic matter and not using any chemical fertilizers for the past two decades. Though the Alexandres had been farming organically—and including regenerative practices—for more than two decades, since becoming certified regenerative they’ve invested more deeply in the following practices across their 9,000 acre farm in northern California: rotational grazing, making their own compost (from cow manure, wood shavings, fish waste, green waste, and egg shells), and helping bring more wildlife, particularly birds, into their farm ecosystem. They have focused heavily on building organic matter by allowing grass to grow taller before grazing thereby letting deeper roots develop, eliminating tillage, and periodic application of soil amendments through their compost system.

“When you use cows to ‘cut’ the grass, and fertilize it, and you don’t expose the roots by plowing, you create a cycle of carbon sequestration,” Alexandre explains of the climate benefit of these practices. The result, he says, is that the cows help sequester about 50 tons of carbon per day on the farm’s thousands of acres of pasture.

The farm’s soil is like “chocolate cake,” he says, with more porosity for root growth and microbial activity, which helps to hold carbon longer in the earth. Over the past 20 years, Alexandre Family Farm has seen the amount of organic matter in the soil go from around 1% to between 10 and 12%. The more organic matter, the more carbon is trapped underground. Now, the Alexandres have put together a carbon plan to track even more granular data on carbon sequestration going forward.

On top of the climate benefits, there are cost savings to be had as well. Jim Hau, president of Maple Hill , one of the largest 100% grass-fed, organic dairy brands in the U.S., says that there can be some significant cost savings in the regenerative model, starting with the lower cost of feed. “When done properly, grass-fed farms grow their feed on perennial pastures. While that makes them susceptible to weather conditions, it precludes the cost of seeding and harvesting grain fields or purchasing grains. The healthier cows also require less medical care.” Entirely grass-fed organic milk prices paid to farmers are about 60% higher than conventional prices, he adds, and 15% higher than standard organic prices. The farm now plans to start tracking the soil’s carbon content thanks to a grant from the USDA, which will allow them to further hone their practices.

A key hurdle to widespread adoption of these farming practices, however, is that many regenerative dairy and meat products are still pricey. Yet, Will Harris, who runs White Oak Pastures , a regenerative farm in Georgia with cows, pigs, and poultry, that rotates their grazing, says that much of that is about perception. “The sad truth that people don’t want to talk about is that the population wants to eat cheap food at any cost. There’s a lot of them. It’s more them than it is us. That’s at any cost—to their own personal health, and to the environment.”

These health and environmental impacts are the negative externalities that are “costing” communities and the environment, but often not taken into consideration, says Byck. That’s why, in doing the research on AMP grazing, he actually turned to major food companies to financially support his work—this includes Cargill along with the group’s biggest backer McDonald’s which has given $4.5 million towards their research. The companies don’t have a say in how he and his colleagues conduct the research, but he hopes that the engagement encourages them to pay attention and start changing their ways. “That’s how we’re going to get this to go truly mainstream,” he says. “My metric is only soil health. If you’re showing improvement in soil health, I’m game.”

Consumers seem to be hungry for it. Climate concerns are driving more meat eaters to seek out sustainable beef options —and they’re bypassing grocery stores to do so, purchasing online from farms. Harris attests to this as White Oak Pastures sells directly to consumers through their website.

Certainly, the interest is there. A recent social media post from Byck’s Carbon Cowboys Instagram feed about one of the AMP ranches he’s studied posted on Feb. 13 got more than 300,000 views in less than 24 hours. And Ann Demerath of Clear Spring Ranch in Missouri, who was featured in it, says it helped her sales—48 hours after the post she was completely sold out of meat. “People are clamoring for food that makes them feel better,” says Byck. “And it’s beneficial. It’s why I focus my life on it.”

How Sports Stadiums Are Going Green

By Joey Lautrup and Will Henshall

How Oil and Gas Companies Can Help Build Geothermal Energy

By Alejandro de la Garza and Andrew D. Johnson

How Electric Bikes Can Cut Delivery Emissions in Cities

By Lisa Nho and Sarah Sax

Climate Change Poses Risks to Our Health. These Nurses Want to Fix That

By Andrew D. Johnson and Jeffrey Kluger

Column: The Power of Data to Fight Climate Destruction

By Wendy Schmidt and Benjamin Strauss

More Must-Reads from TIME

• Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
• Heman Bekele Is TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year
• The Reintroduction of Kamala Harris
• What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
• A Battle Over Fertility Law in China
• The 1 Heart-Health Habit You Should Start When You’re Young
• Cuddling Might Help You Get Better Sleep
• The 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now

Write to Video by Andrew D. Johnson at [email protected]

• Search Menu

Sign in through your institution

• Browse content in Arts and Humanities
• Browse content in Archaeology
• Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Archaeology
• Archaeological Methodology and Techniques
• Archaeology by Region
• Archaeology of Religion
• Archaeology of Trade and Exchange
• Biblical Archaeology
• Contemporary and Public Archaeology
• Environmental Archaeology
• Historical Archaeology
• History and Theory of Archaeology
• Industrial Archaeology
• Landscape Archaeology
• Mortuary Archaeology
• Prehistoric Archaeology
• Underwater Archaeology
• Zooarchaeology
• Browse content in Architecture
• Architectural Structure and Design
• History of Architecture
• Residential and Domestic Buildings
• Theory of Architecture
• Browse content in Art
• Art Subjects and Themes
• History of Art
• Industrial and Commercial Art
• Theory of Art
• Biographical Studies
• Byzantine Studies
• Browse content in Classical Studies
• Classical Numismatics
• Classical Literature
• Classical Reception
• Classical History
• Classical Philosophy
• Classical Mythology
• Classical Art and Architecture
• Classical Oratory and Rhetoric
• Greek and Roman Papyrology
• Greek and Roman Archaeology
• Greek and Roman Epigraphy
• Greek and Roman Law
• Late Antiquity
• Religion in the Ancient World
• Social History
• Digital Humanities
• Browse content in History
• Colonialism and Imperialism
• Diplomatic History
• Environmental History
• Genealogy, Heraldry, Names, and Honours
• Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
• Historical Geography
• History by Period
• History of Emotions
• History of Agriculture
• History of Education
• History of Gender and Sexuality
• Industrial History
• Intellectual History
• International History
• Labour History
• Legal and Constitutional History
• Local and Family History
• Maritime History
• Military History
• National Liberation and Post-Colonialism
• Oral History
• Political History
• Public History
• Regional and National History
• Revolutions and Rebellions
• Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
• Social and Cultural History
• Theory, Methods, and Historiography
• Urban History
• World History
• Browse content in Language Teaching and Learning
• Language Learning (Specific Skills)
• Language Teaching Theory and Methods
• Browse content in Linguistics
• Applied Linguistics
• Cognitive Linguistics
• Computational Linguistics
• Forensic Linguistics
• Grammar, Syntax and Morphology
• Historical and Diachronic Linguistics
• History of English
• Language Evolution
• Language Reference
• Language Variation
• Language Families
• Language Acquisition
• Lexicography
• Linguistic Anthropology
• Linguistic Theories
• Linguistic Typology
• Phonetics and Phonology
• Psycholinguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Translation and Interpretation
• Writing Systems
• Browse content in Literature
• Bibliography
• Children's Literature Studies
• Literary Studies (Romanticism)
• Literary Studies (American)
• Literary Studies (Modernism)
• Literary Studies (Asian)
• Literary Studies (European)
• Literary Studies (Eco-criticism)
• Literary Studies - World
• Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
• Literary Studies (19th Century)
• Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
• Literary Studies (African American Literature)
• Literary Studies (British and Irish)
• Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
• Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
• Literary Studies (Gender Studies)
• Literary Studies (Graphic Novels)
• Literary Studies (History of the Book)
• Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
• Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
• Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
• Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
• Literary Studies (Science Fiction)
• Literary Studies (Travel Literature)
• Literary Studies (War Literature)
• Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
• Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
• Mythology and Folklore
• Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
• Browse content in Media Studies
• Browse content in Music
• Applied Music
• Dance and Music
• Ethics in Music
• Ethnomusicology
• Gender and Sexuality in Music
• Medicine and Music
• Music Cultures
• Music and Media
• Music and Culture
• Music and Religion
• Music Education and Pedagogy
• Music Theory and Analysis
• Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
• Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
• Musicology and Music History
• Performance Practice and Studies
• Race and Ethnicity in Music
• Sound Studies
• Browse content in Performing Arts
• Browse content in Philosophy
• Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
• Epistemology
• Feminist Philosophy
• History of Western Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Moral Philosophy
• Non-Western Philosophy
• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Perception
• Philosophy of Action
• Philosophy of Law
• Philosophy of Religion
• Philosophy of Science
• Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
• Practical Ethics
• Social and Political Philosophy
• Browse content in Religion
• Biblical Studies
• Christianity
• East Asian Religions
• History of Religion
• Judaism and Jewish Studies
• Qumran Studies
• Religion and Education
• Religion and Health
• Religion and Politics
• Religion and Science
• Religion and Law
• Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
• Religious Studies
• Browse content in Society and Culture
• Cookery, Food, and Drink
• Cultural Studies
• Customs and Traditions
• Ethical Issues and Debates
• Hobbies, Games, Arts and Crafts
• Natural world, Country Life, and Pets
• Popular Beliefs and Controversial Knowledge
• Sports and Outdoor Recreation
• Technology and Society
• Travel and Holiday
• Visual Culture
• Browse content in Law
• Arbitration
• Browse content in Company and Commercial Law
• Commercial Law
• Company Law
• Browse content in Comparative Law
• Systems of Law
• Competition Law
• Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
• Government Powers
• Judicial Review
• Local Government Law
• Military and Defence Law
• Parliamentary and Legislative Practice
• Construction Law
• Contract Law
• Browse content in Criminal Law
• Criminal Procedure
• Criminal Evidence Law
• Sentencing and Punishment
• Employment and Labour Law
• Environment and Energy Law
• Browse content in Financial Law
• Banking Law
• Insolvency Law
• History of Law
• Human Rights and Immigration
• Intellectual Property Law
• Browse content in International Law
• Private International Law and Conflict of Laws
• Public International Law
• IT and Communications Law
• Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
• Law and Society
• Law and Politics
• Browse content in Legal System and Practice
• Courts and Procedure
• Legal Skills and Practice
• Legal System - Costs and Funding
• Primary Sources of Law
• Regulation of Legal Profession
• Medical and Healthcare Law
• Browse content in Policing
• Criminal Investigation and Detection
• Police and Security Services
• Police Procedure and Law
• Police Regional Planning
• Browse content in Property Law
• Personal Property Law
• Restitution
• Study and Revision
• Terrorism and National Security Law
• Browse content in Trusts Law
• Wills and Probate or Succession
• Browse content in Medicine and Health
• Browse content in Allied Health Professions
• Arts Therapies
• Clinical Science
• Dietetics and Nutrition
• Occupational Therapy
• Operating Department Practice
• Physiotherapy
• Radiography
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Browse content in Anaesthetics
• General Anaesthesia
• Clinical Neuroscience
• Browse content in Clinical Medicine
• Acute Medicine
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Clinical Genetics
• Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Dermatology
• Endocrinology and Diabetes
• Gastroenterology
• Genito-urinary Medicine
• Geriatric Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Toxicology
• Medical Oncology
• Pain Medicine
• Palliative Medicine
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonology
• Rheumatology
• Sleep Medicine
• Sports and Exercise Medicine
• Community Medical Services
• Critical Care
• Emergency Medicine
• Forensic Medicine
• Haematology
• History of Medicine
• Browse content in Medical Skills
• Clinical Skills
• Communication Skills
• Nursing Skills
• Surgical Skills
• Medical Ethics
• Browse content in Medical Dentistry
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Paediatric Dentistry
• Restorative Dentistry and Orthodontics
• Surgical Dentistry
• Medical Statistics and Methodology
• Browse content in Neurology
• Clinical Neurophysiology
• Neuropathology
• Nursing Studies
• Browse content in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Gynaecology
• Occupational Medicine
• Ophthalmology
• Otolaryngology (ENT)
• Browse content in Paediatrics
• Neonatology
• Browse content in Pathology
• Chemical Pathology
• Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics
• Histopathology
• Medical Microbiology and Virology
• Patient Education and Information
• Browse content in Pharmacology
• Psychopharmacology
• Browse content in Popular Health
• Caring for Others
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Self-help and Personal Development
• Browse content in Preclinical Medicine
• Cell Biology
• Molecular Biology and Genetics
• Reproduction, Growth and Development
• Primary Care
• Professional Development in Medicine
• Browse content in Psychiatry
• Addiction Medicine
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Learning Disabilities
• Old Age Psychiatry
• Psychotherapy
• Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Browse content in Radiology
• Clinical Radiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiation Oncology
• Reproductive Medicine
• Browse content in Surgery
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Gastro-intestinal and Colorectal Surgery
• General Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Paediatric Surgery
• Peri-operative Care
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Transplant Surgery
• Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
• Vascular Surgery
• Browse content in Science and Mathematics
• Browse content in Biological Sciences
• Aquatic Biology
• Biochemistry
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Ecology and Conservation
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Microbiology
• Molecular and Cell Biology
• Natural History
• Plant Sciences and Forestry
• Research Methods in Life Sciences
• Structural Biology
• Systems Biology
• Zoology and Animal Sciences
• Browse content in Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Computational Chemistry
• Crystallography
• Environmental Chemistry
• Industrial Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Materials Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Mineralogy and Gems
• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry
• Study and Communication Skills in Chemistry
• Theoretical Chemistry
• Browse content in Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Architecture and Logic Design
• Game Studies
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Mathematical Theory of Computation
• Programming Languages
• Software Engineering
• Systems Analysis and Design
• Virtual Reality
• Browse content in Computing
• Business Applications
• Computer Games
• Computer Security
• Computer Networking and Communications
• Digital Lifestyle
• Graphical and Digital Media Applications
• Operating Systems
• Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
• Atmospheric Sciences
• Environmental Geography
• Geology and the Lithosphere
• Maps and Map-making
• Meteorology and Climatology
• Oceanography and Hydrology
• Palaeontology
• Physical Geography and Topography
• Regional Geography
• Soil Science
• Urban Geography
• Browse content in Engineering and Technology
• Agriculture and Farming
• Biological Engineering
• Civil Engineering, Surveying, and Building
• Electronics and Communications Engineering
• Energy Technology
• Engineering (General)
• Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology
• History of Engineering and Technology
• Mechanical Engineering and Materials
• Technology of Industrial Chemistry
• Transport Technology and Trades
• Browse content in Environmental Science
• Applied Ecology (Environmental Science)
• Conservation of the Environment (Environmental Science)
• Environmental Sustainability
• Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Environmental Science)
• Management of Land and Natural Resources (Environmental Science)
• Natural Disasters (Environmental Science)
• Nuclear Issues (Environmental Science)
• Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Environmental Science)
• Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Environmental Science)
• History of Science and Technology
• Browse content in Materials Science
• Ceramics and Glasses
• Composite Materials
• Metals, Alloying, and Corrosion
• Nanotechnology
• Browse content in Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics
• Biomathematics and Statistics
• History of Mathematics
• Mathematical Education
• Mathematical Finance
• Mathematical Analysis
• Numerical and Computational Mathematics
• Probability and Statistics
• Pure Mathematics
• Browse content in Neuroscience
• Cognition and Behavioural Neuroscience
• Development of the Nervous System
• Disorders of the Nervous System
• History of Neuroscience
• Invertebrate Neurobiology
• Molecular and Cellular Systems
• Neuroendocrinology and Autonomic Nervous System
• Neuroscientific Techniques
• Sensory and Motor Systems
• Browse content in Physics
• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Biological and Medical Physics
• Classical Mechanics
• Computational Physics
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Electromagnetism, Optics, and Acoustics
• History of Physics
• Mathematical and Statistical Physics
• Measurement Science
• Nuclear Physics
• Particles and Fields
• Plasma Physics
• Quantum Physics
• Relativity and Gravitation
• Semiconductor and Mesoscopic Physics
• Browse content in Psychology
• Affective Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Criminal and Forensic Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Health Psychology
• History and Systems in Psychology
• Music Psychology
• Neuropsychology
• Organizational Psychology
• Psychological Assessment and Testing
• Psychology of Human-Technology Interaction
• Psychology Professional Development and Training
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Browse content in Social Sciences
• Browse content in Anthropology
• Anthropology of Religion
• Human Evolution
• Medical Anthropology
• Physical Anthropology
• Regional Anthropology
• Social and Cultural Anthropology
• Theory and Practice of Anthropology
• Browse content in Business and Management
• Business Ethics
• Business History
• Business Strategy
• Business and Technology
• Business and Government
• Business and the Environment
• Comparative Management
• Corporate Governance
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Entrepreneurship
• Health Management
• Human Resource Management
• Industrial and Employment Relations
• Industry Studies
• Information and Communication Technologies
• International Business
• Knowledge Management
• Management and Management Techniques
• Operations Management
• Organizational Theory and Behaviour
• Pensions and Pension Management
• Public and Nonprofit Management
• Social Issues in Business and Management
• Strategic Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Browse content in Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Criminal Justice
• Criminology
• Forms of Crime
• International and Comparative Criminology
• Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice
• Development Studies
• Browse content in Economics
• Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
• Asian Economics
• Behavioural Finance
• Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics
• Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
• Economic History
• Economic Methodology
• Economic Systems
• Economic Development and Growth
• Financial Markets
• Financial Institutions and Services
• General Economics and Teaching
• Health, Education, and Welfare
• History of Economic Thought
• International Economics
• Labour and Demographic Economics
• Law and Economics
• Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
• Microeconomics
• Public Economics
• Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
• Welfare Economics
• Browse content in Education
• Adult Education and Continuous Learning
• Care and Counselling of Students
• Early Childhood and Elementary Education
• Educational Equipment and Technology
• Educational Strategies and Policy
• Higher and Further Education
• Organization and Management of Education
• Philosophy and Theory of Education
• Schools Studies
• Secondary Education
• Teaching of a Specific Subject
• Teaching of Specific Groups and Special Educational Needs
• Teaching Skills and Techniques
• Browse content in Environment
• Applied Ecology (Social Science)
• Climate Change
• Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
• Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Social Science)
• Management of Land and Natural Resources (Social Science)
• Natural Disasters (Environment)
• Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Social Science)
• Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
• Sustainability
• Browse content in Human Geography
• Cultural Geography
• Economic Geography
• Political Geography
• Browse content in Interdisciplinary Studies
• Communication Studies
• Museums, Libraries, and Information Sciences
• Browse content in Politics
• African Politics
• Asian Politics
• Chinese Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Conflict Politics
• Elections and Electoral Studies
• Environmental Politics
• Ethnic Politics
• European Union
• Foreign Policy
• Gender and Politics
• Human Rights and Politics
• Indian Politics
• International Relations
• International Organization (Politics)
• Irish Politics
• Latin American Politics
• Middle Eastern Politics
• Political Behaviour
• Political Economy
• Political Institutions
• Political Theory
• Political Methodology
• Political Communication
• Political Philosophy
• Political Sociology
• Politics and Law
• Politics of Development
• Public Policy
• Public Administration
• Qualitative Political Methodology
• Quantitative Political Methodology
• Regional Political Studies
• Russian Politics
• Security Studies
• State and Local Government
• UK Politics
• US Politics
• Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
• African Studies
• Asian Studies
• East Asian Studies
• Japanese Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Native American Studies
• Scottish Studies
• Browse content in Research and Information
• Research Methods
• Browse content in Social Work
• Addictions and Substance Misuse
• Adoption and Fostering
• Care of the Elderly
• Child and Adolescent Social Work
• Couple and Family Social Work
• Direct Practice and Clinical Social Work
• Emergency Services
• Human Behaviour and the Social Environment
• International and Global Issues in Social Work
• Mental and Behavioural Health
• Social Justice and Human Rights
• Social Policy and Advocacy
• Social Work and Crime and Justice
• Social Work Macro Practice
• Social Work Practice Settings
• Social Work Research and Evidence-based Practice
• Welfare and Benefit Systems
• Browse content in Sociology
• Childhood Studies
• Community Development
• Comparative and Historical Sociology
• Disability Studies
• Economic Sociology
• Gender and Sexuality
• Gerontology and Ageing
• Health, Illness, and Medicine
• Marriage and the Family
• Migration Studies
• Occupations, Professions, and Work
• Organizations
• Population and Demography
• Race and Ethnicity
• Social Theory
• Social Movements and Social Change
• Social Research and Statistics
• Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
• Sociology of Religion
• Sociology of Education
• Sport and Leisure
• Urban and Rural Studies
• Browse content in Warfare and Defence
• Defence Strategy, Planning, and Research
• Land Forces and Warfare
• Military Administration
• Military Life and Institutions
• Naval Forces and Warfare
• Other Warfare and Defence Issues
• Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Weapons and Equipment

• < Previous chapter
• Next chapter >

5 (page 86) p. 86 Modern and traditional farming

• Published: April 2016
• Cite Icon Cite
• Permissions Icon Permissions

There is a frequent identification of farming with tradition, even if what is seen as traditional might change over time. Farming is seen as a way of life, in which doing right by the land, producing healthy crops and livestock, employing local people, and having a thriving farm to hand on to the next generation are more important than expansion, profit maximization, and integration with the food chain. In contrast to big, modern, mechanized, globalized agribusinesses, it is sustainable, produces wildlife habitats and beautiful landscapes, and cares about animal welfare. How accurate is this view? ‘Modern and traditional farming’ considers the issues of sustainability, animal welfare, and wildlife and landscape.

Personal account

• Sign in with email/username & password
• Get email alerts
• Save searches
• Purchase content
• Activate your purchase/trial code
• Add your ORCID iD

Institutional access

Sign in with a library card.

• Sign in with username/password
• Recommend to your librarian
• Institutional account management
• Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

• Click Sign in through your institution.
• Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
• When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
• Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

• Click Sign in through society site.
• When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

• View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
• View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.

• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Rights and permissions
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

• How It Works
• All Projects
• Top-Rated Pages
• Admission essay writing
• Book report writing
• Cheap essay writing
• Coursework writing
• Dissertation writing
• Essay editing
• MBA essay writing
• Scholarship essay writing
• Term paper writing
• Write my essay
• Free sample essays
• Writing blog

127 Exceptional Agriculture Essay Topics For Students

What is agriculture? Also known as farming, agriculture is the practice of cultivating and harvesting a wide variety of crops and raising livestock. Nowadays, agriculture is an essential part of our economy and our lives. Without it, there would be widespread famine. And this is just one of the reasons why you should search for the most interesting essay topics on agriculture.

You can write your academic paper on just about anything, as long as it pertains to agriculture. Remember, you can also write about livestock and farm animals. You can write the paper on agricultural technology or even the latest fertilizers and pesticides. You can even research agriculture in remote parts of the world and write an extraordinary paper about it. However, you need a good topic to get you started. To help you out, we’ve created a list of 127 original agriculture essay topics that you can use for free. Check it out below:

Sustainable Agriculture Essay Topics

Our experienced writers and editors have managed to put together a list of sustainable agriculture essay topics that will surely impress any professor. Pick one and start writing today:

• What are cover crops and why are they important?
• Talk about biofuels
• An in-depth look at agritourism
• Agroforestry in the 21st century
• The importance of environmental health
• Social equity in sustainable agriculture
• Humane methods used for pest management
• Water management in sustainable agriculture
• The importance of crop rotation and diversity
• Reducing erosion through sustainable agriculture

Easy Agriculture Topics To Write About

You probably don’t want to spend too much time writing your paper. After all, you have other things to do. No problem, just take a look at this list of easy agriculture topics to write about:

• How much does raising a pig cost?
• Would you work on a farm? Why?
• Agriculture in India
• Talk about the world’s population and agriculture
• Discuss the use of water in agriculture
• Discuss agriculture in China
• The latest agricultural technology you’ve heard about
• Organic agriculture: pros and cons
• Talk about agriculture in Latin America
• Talk about genetic engineering in agriculture
• Agriculture in Eastern Europe

Interesting Agriculture Topics

In this list, we have collected all of the most interesting agriculture topics (in our opinion, of course). You can pick any one of these topics and use it for free. Yes, you can even reword them.

• The relation between agriculture and culture
• Challenges in livestock production in 2023
• How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected agriculture?
• Improving agricultural productivity using sustainable methods
• An in-depth research of the global food system
• Grain and corn from Ukrainian farms affected by the war
• Renewable energy in agriculture
• Fish hatcheries: pros and cons

Agricultural Research Paper Topics

Our seasoned agriculture experts have just finished putting together a list of unique agricultural research paper topics. Take a look at these ideas and choose the one you like the most:

• An in-depth research of agriculture in Taiwan
• Talk about seed pathology in agriculture
• Discuss agricultural issues in North Korea
• The use of banned GMOs in Europe
• A closer look at Turkey’s agriculture
• Research the topic of water management in agriculture
• Food chain risks posed by the war in Ukraine
• Natural farming versus organic farming

Technology In Agriculture Topics

Technology plays a major role in today’s agriculture, as you can imagine. So, why now write your paper about one of these interesting technology in agriculture topics:

• Soil data sensing technology
• The Internet of Things in agriculture
• Talk about satellite imaging in agriculture
• Discuss weather tracking and its benefits
• Research pervasive automation in agriculture
• The use of RFID tech in agriculture
• What is vertical farming and how is it done?

Agriculture Persuasive Speech Topics

If you are struggling to write a persuasive speech about agriculture and don’t know what to talk about, we can help you out. Here are some original agriculture persuasive speech topics for you:

• Problems with soil degradation in the United States
• Talk about employment in the agricultural sector
• How is the genetic improvement of seeds done?
• The importance of the potato for our world
• Talk about sustainable grazing methods
• The importance of home gardening in 2023
• Managing plant weeds without using glyphosate

Food And Agriculture Essay Ideas

All of our food comes from agriculture, so it’s a great idea to talk about this link. We have a long list of unique food and agriculture essay ideas for high school and college students right here:

• Vegans and animal husbandry
• Where does KFC get all its meat from?
• The quality of meat coming from intensive farming
• Animal husbandry in the Middle Ages
• Dangerous nitrate concentrations in vegetables
• Talk about minerals in vitamins in vegetables
• Using chemicals in agriculture: a danger to our health

Importance Of Agriculture Essay Topics

There is much to talk about when it comes to the importance of agriculture. Here are some importance of agriculture essay topics that should get you started right away:

• The importance of good sheepdogs
• Talk about the importance of agriculture in India
• Discuss the importance of subsidence farming
• Agriculture in ancient times
• Talk about the importance of agriculture for Mayans
• The most interesting agricultural tools ever discovered
• Supply chain problems for KFC

Complex Agriculture Topics

If you want to impress your professor, you can give a more difficult topic a try. You can get some bonus points for it. Check out our latest list of complex agriculture topics:

• Discuss GMO corn in North America
• Talk about the use of solar power in agriculture
• Pumping water efficiently with minimal costs
• The latest global economic issues affecting farmers
• Greenhouse gas emissions caused by agriculture
• Talk about the controversies surrounding chemical fertilizers
• Challenges for modern agriculture in the United Kingdom

Livestock Topic Ideas

Yes, raising livestock is a significant part of agriculture today. So, why now write your essay or research paper on one of our interesting livestock topic ideas:

• How important are bees for our world?
• The dangers of raising yaks on your farm
• Research cattle farming in North America
• Discuss pig farming in European countries
• Talk about intensive animal farming (chickens)
• Talk about raising animals humanely
• Negative effects of cattle farms

Best Topics For Discussion Agriculture

Did your professor ask you to prepare for a discussion or debate on a topic in agriculture? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Here are the best topics for discussion:

• What animal do you think is the best for a farm?
• Do we really need farm subsidies?
• Talk about food processing tech
• Discuss the use of drones in agriculture
• Automation in agriculture
• Talk about the benefits of vertical farming

Agricultural Essay Topics For High School

Are you a high school student? Do you need to write a paper on agriculture? Perfect! Here are the absolute best agricultural essay topics for high school students:

• Hunter gatherer versus agricultural societies
• Talk about the negative effects of industrial agriculture
• Talk about the agricultural policy in Europe
• How has the rise of global temperature affected agriculture?
• Talk about how drought can completely destroy the global food system in less than 10 years
• The effects of pesticides on the population of bees in the US

Agriculture Paper Topics For College

College students should choose topics that are more complex in nature if they want to get a top grade. Check out this list of agriculture paper topics for college and choose one right now:

• The economics behind a sheep farm in the UK
• How important is the price of energy for local farms in Germany?
• An in-depth look at agricultural subsidies in North America
• Differences between the agricultural policies of North America and Europe
• An effective business model for an organic farm in 2023
• The impact of a 1 degree Celsius (33.8 Fahrenheit) increase in global temperature on grain crops in the UK

Controversial Agriculture Topics For Essays

Our experienced staff has worked hard to find the most controversial agriculture topics for essays. You won’t need to buy cheap essays with these topics! All of these topics are original, so you are already on your way to getting bonus points from your professor:

• The use of pesticides in North America
• Talk about genetically modified organisms
• Discuss the local food controversy
• Talk about climate change and its effect on agriculture
• The rise in demand for high quality food
• Organic food in 2023
• Discuss the wages of people working in agriculture
• Destroying the soil through intensive agriculture

History Of Agriculture Topics

Talking about the history of agriculture can be both fun and educative. After all, agriculture has suffered many major transformations over time. Here are some great topics to write about:

• Agriculture during the Roman Empire
• Talk about agriculture in ancient Egypt
• Agriculture in South Asia
• Agricultural tools in Mesopotamia
• Ancient Greek agriculture
• Discuss the evolution of organic agriculture
• Discuss the British agricultural revolution
• What is the Green revolution?
• Agriculture in Mesoamerica
• Research agriculture in the 20th century
• How has the war in Ukraine changed agriculture in Europe?
• Early development of agricultural tools

Other Agriculture Research Paper Ideas

This list contains all the agricultural topics that didn’t quite fit anywhere else. It’s a collection of other agriculture research paper ideas that professors may find interesting:

• Negative effects of modern pesticides
• The dangers of over-using fertilizer
• The most profitable livestock in 2023
• Raising myotonic goats
• The strange eating habits of geese
• Research the farmers of Gambia
• Raising Mangalitza pigs
• Talk about intensive animal farming in China
• The peculiarities of a yak farm
• Dangerous farm animals you should never raise

Get Essay Writing Help

We know how difficult it can be for students in high school, college and university to write all their research papers on time. We receive pleas for help almost daily from students all around the world. They need our professional essay writing help – and you may need it too. If you are on a very tight deadline, why would you risk getting a B- or even a C on your assignment? Our experts are here to help you when you order custom term paper , and with much more than just topics for agriculture essay.

If you don’t know how to write your paper, we will write it for you very fast (and very cheap too). Our academic writers all have a Master’s or PhD in agriculture, which means you will be working with an experienced professional who know what he’s talking about. You just tell us what you need and when you need it done and we’ll handle the rest. Our customer support department is online 24/7/365 to take your order, so what are you waiting for?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Have a team of vetted experts take you to the top, with professionally written papers in every area of study.

Essay on Agriculture in English (150, 200, 250, 500 Words)

Here, we’ve presented essays on “Agriculture” in 150, 200, 250 & 500 word samples. All the essays will be helpful for students of all classes i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & class 12.

Table of Contents

Essay on Agriculture in 150 Words

Introduction.

Agriculture, the oldest human endeavor, encompasses the cultivation of crops and the rearing of animals for various purposes. Since ancient times, agriculture has been pivotal in sustaining human life and fostering societal growth. Its significance transcends mere sustenance, as it forms the foundation of economies and civilizations worldwide.

Modern Agricultural Practices

Modern agriculture integrates technology and scientific advancements to enhance productivity and efficiency. Mechanization, genetic engineering, and precision farming techniques have revolutionized the agricultural landscape, enabling farmers to produce higher yields with fewer resources. Moreover, sustainable agriculture practices prioritize environmental conservation and biodiversity, ensuring the long-term viability of agricultural systems.

Future Challenges and Opportunities

Despite its advancements, agriculture faces formidable challenges in the 21st century. Climate change, population growth, and diminishing natural resources pose significant threats to global food security. However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovation and adaptation. By embracing sustainable practices, investing in research and development, and fostering international cooperation, agriculture can overcome these obstacles and continue to thrive in the face of adversity.

Agriculture Essay in 200 Words

Agriculture, the backbone of human civilization, is the practice of cultivating crops and raising livestock for sustenance and economic gain. It has been an integral part of societies since ancient times, providing food, fiber, and raw materials. The evolution of agricultural practices has been crucial in shaping human development and societal progress.

Importance of Agriculture

Agriculture plays a vital role in ensuring food security, as it provides the necessary sustenance for the growing global population. Additionally, agriculture contributes significantly to the economy by generating employment opportunities and supporting various industries such as food processing and manufacturing. Moreover, agriculture fosters rural development by providing livelihoods and improving living standards in rural communities.

Challenges Faced by Agriculture

Despite its importance, agriculture faces numerous challenges, including climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity. Climate variability leads to unpredictable weather patterns, affecting crop yields and livestock production. Soil degradation and erosion diminish the fertility of land, posing long-term threats to agricultural sustainability. Furthermore, water scarcity exacerbates these challenges, limiting irrigation and agricultural productivity in many regions.

In conclusion, agriculture remains fundamental to human existence and societal advancement. Its role in ensuring food security, supporting economic development, and fostering rural livelihoods cannot be overstated. However, addressing the challenges faced by agriculture, such as climate change and resource depletion, requires concerted efforts from governments, communities, and agricultural stakeholders. By adopting sustainable practices and investing in innovation, we can overcome these challenges and ensure a prosperous future for agriculture.

Essay Writing on Agriculture in 250 Words

Agriculture, humanity’s timeless endeavor, encompasses the cultivation of crops and the husbandry of livestock. It stands as the bedrock of civilization, providing sustenance, raw materials, and economic opportunities since ancient times. From the earliest agrarian societies to the modern industrialized world, agriculture remains indispensable for human survival and societal progress.

Historical Significance

Throughout history, agriculture has shaped the course of human development. The transition from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agricultural communities marked a pivotal moment in human civilization. With the advent of farming techniques, societies could produce surplus food, leading to population growth, urbanization, and the emergence of complex civilizations. Agricultural advancements, such as the domestication of plants and animals, irrigation systems, and crop rotation, laid the groundwork for societal advancements and cultural achievements.

Technological Advancements

In the modern era, agriculture has undergone remarkable transformations driven by technological innovations. Mechanization, genetic engineering, and precision farming techniques have revolutionized agricultural practices, increasing productivity and efficiency. Machinery such as tractors and harvesters have replaced manual labor, while genetically modified crops offer higher yields and resilience to pests and diseases. Furthermore, precision farming utilizes data-driven approaches to optimize inputs such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides, minimizing waste and environmental impact.

Environmental Challenges

Despite its advancements, agriculture faces unprecedented challenges in the 21st century. Climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity threaten agricultural productivity and food security worldwide. Erratic weather patterns disrupt planting and harvesting seasons, while soil erosion and nutrient depletion degrade arable land. Moreover, water scarcity exacerbates these challenges, particularly in regions reliant on irrigation for agriculture.

In conclusion, agriculture remains a cornerstone of human existence and societal development. Its historical significance and modern advancements underscore its importance in sustaining human life and fostering economic prosperity. However, addressing the environmental challenges facing agriculture requires concerted efforts from governments, communities, and agricultural stakeholders. By embracing sustainable practices, investing in research and development, and promoting global cooperation, agriculture can overcome these obstacles and thrive in the face of adversity.

Writing an Essay on Agriculture in 500 Words

Agriculture, often regarded as the backbone of human civilization, encompasses the cultivation of crops and the rearing of livestock for food, fiber, and other products. Since the dawn of civilization, agriculture has played a pivotal role in shaping societies, economies, and cultures worldwide. Its significance transcends mere sustenance, influencing everything from social structures to technological advancements. In this essay, we will explore the multifaceted aspects of agriculture, including its historical evolution, modern practices, environmental impact, and future challenges.

Historical Evolution

The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years to the Neolithic Revolution, when humans transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agricultural communities. The domestication of plants and animals marked a significant turning point, enabling early humans to cultivate crops and raise livestock for food. This agricultural surplus laid the foundation for civilization by supporting larger populations, fostering trade networks, and fueling technological innovations. Ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China developed sophisticated agricultural practices, including irrigation systems, crop rotation, and animal husbandry, which enabled them to flourish for centuries.

In the modern era, agriculture has undergone profound transformations driven by technological advancements and scientific innovations. Mechanization revolutionized farming practices, replacing human and animal labor with machinery such as tractors, harvesters, and irrigation systems. Genetic engineering has led to the development of high-yield crop varieties that are resistant to pests, diseases, and environmental stressors. Precision farming techniques utilize data analytics, GPS technology, and drones to optimize crop management and resource utilization, enhancing productivity and sustainability. Moreover, vertical farming, hydroponics, and aquaponics represent innovative approaches to agriculture that aim to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental impact.

Environmental Impact

While agriculture is essential for human survival, it also poses significant environmental challenges. Intensive farming practices, such as monoculture and excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, can lead to soil degradation, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. Deforestation for agricultural expansion contributes to habitat destruction and climate change, further exacerbating environmental degradation. Moreover, livestock farming is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane from enteric fermentation and nitrous oxide from manure management. Addressing these environmental challenges requires sustainable farming practices that prioritize soil health, water conservation, and biodiversity conservation.

Future Challenges

Looking ahead, agriculture faces unprecedented challenges in the 21st century, including climate change, population growth, and resource depletion. Climate variability and extreme weather events disrupt agricultural production, leading to crop failures, food shortages, and economic instability. Population growth and urbanization exert pressure on arable land and water resources, threatening food security and rural livelihoods. Furthermore, declining soil fertility, water scarcity, and loss of biodiversity pose long-term threats to agricultural sustainability. However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovation and adaptation. By embracing sustainable practices, investing in research and development, and fostering international cooperation, agriculture can overcome these obstacles and thrive in the face of adversity.

In conclusion, agriculture remains a fundamental aspect of human existence and societal development. Its historical evolution, modern practices, and environmental impact highlight its significance in sustaining human life and fostering economic prosperity. However, addressing the challenges facing agriculture requires collective action and collaboration across sectors and stakeholders. By prioritizing sustainability, resilience, and equity, we can ensure a prosperous future for agriculture and secure food security for generations to come.

Related Posts

Essay on zoo in english (150, 200, 250, 500 words).

• May 26, 2024

Essay on Zero Hunger in English (150, 200, 250, 500 Words)

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name  *

Email  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• School Education /

Essay on Agriculture: Short Essay, 100 and 250 Words

• Updated on  
• May 18, 2024

Agriculture is one of the major sectors in India that provide livelihood to the people. The majority of the Indian population depends on agriculture as it is the major source of income and contributes to around 18.3% of India’s GDP. It provides food, raw materials, and employment to billions of people across the world. As common people, most of us anticipate that agriculture is just the cultivation of crops.

However, it is much more than that, it includes fishery , livestock, forestry , and crop production . It is the backbone of the civilization. Read this blog and get to know how to write an essay on agriculture with the help of examples!

Table of Contents

• 1 Short Essay on Agriculture
• 2 Essay on Agriculture 100 Words
• 3.1 Significance of Agriculture
• 3.2 Challenges for Agriculture
• 3.3 Sustainable agriculture

Short Essay on Agriculture

India is also referred to as agricultural land because a major part of India is covered by agricultural activities. The entire world has been practising agriculture for thousands of years from the nomadic times to date. 

Agriculture started during the Neolithic Revolution for the production of food. Nowadays, the scenario has been completely changed with the application of AI tools and Machinery in the world of Agriculture. New technologies and equipment are being developed to replace the traditional methods of farming. Some of the AI technologies are integrated sensors, weathering forecasting, IoT-powered agriculture drones, smart spraying, etc. 

Millions of people across the world depend on agriculture, even animals are also dependent on agriculture for their fodder and habitat. Besides that, agriculture also plays a key role in the economic development of the country because 3/4th of the population depends on agriculture.

Also Read: Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 

Essay on Agriculture 100 Words

Agriculture is the main source of life on earth. Animals and humans depend on agriculture for a living. It is the oldest practice in the history of mankind. There has been tremendous growth and evolution in the field of agriculture.

The use of AI-based technology and modern techniques in farming is helping the sector to generate high yields with better quality. 

Now, our country is able to produce surplus food crops which is enough to satisfy domestic needs. It also helps to eradicate malnutrition and address hunger issues in various parts of the world. Thus, agriculture will always remain the cornerstone of human existence and continue to fulfil the demands of the changing world.

Also Read: Essay on Population Explosion

Essay on Agriculture 250 Words

Agriculture can be termed as the global powerhouse of the world. It is feeding billions of people across the world. Every individual directly or indirectly depends on agriculture.

Significance of Agriculture

The significance of agriculture is listed below:

• The food we consume is a gift of the agriculture sector. Farmers are working day and night to cultivate food crops for the entire human population.
• It also adds value to the Gross Domestic Product as well as the national income of the country.
• As it is one of the largest sectors, there is a huge need for a labor force and employees. Thus, it imparts employment to 80% of the people in this world.
• 70% of the total food crop production of India is used for the purpose of exports. Some of the main items of export are rice, spices, wheat, cotton, tea, tobacco, jute products, and many more.

Challenges for Agriculture

Every year, the agriculture sector has to face difficult challenges. It includes harsh weather conditions be it drought or flood or extreme heat waves and cold breezes. Soil degradation is also one of the major threats to agriculture due to soil erosion and soil pollution. All these conditions create the need to generate sustainable practices in the agriculture sector.

Sustainable agriculture

Advancement in technology helps to create sustainable agriculture. The use of technology in the field of agriculture like weather forecasts, automated sowing, drones, AI-driven sensors, pest control, etc. helps in developing sustainable agriculture.

Besides that, farmers are adopting new farming practices such as crop rotation reduced chemicals, organic farming, etc. for sustainable agriculture.

Also Read: Essay on Water Pollution

Agriculture is the process of cultivation of crops. Every individual is dependent on agriculture for food crops, and employment. The perfect essay on agriculture must include, what is agriculture, the importance, and the significance of agriculture.

Here are 5 main points about agriculture: Agriculture is the source of food and fodder for the world; It is one of the oldest human practices that date back thousands of years; Agriculture is essential for the breeding and raising of livestock; The incorporation of modern techniques in farming helped in the evolution of the agriculture sector; and Agriculture contributes to the economy of the nation.

Agriculture refers to the science, art, or practice of cultivating crops, raising livestock, and marketing the finished products for the use of human consumption while contributing to the economy of the country.

Related Reads

For more information on such interesting topics, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu.

Kajal Thareja

Hi, I am Kajal, a pharmacy graduate, currently pursuing management and is an experienced content writer. I have 2-years of writing experience in Ed-tech (digital marketing) company. I am passionate towards writing blogs and am on the path of discovering true potential professionally in the field of content marketing. I am engaged in writing creative content for students which is simple yet creative and engaging and leaves an impact on the reader's mind.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

Farmer Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on farmer.

Farmers are the backbone of our society. They are the ones who provide us all the food that we eat. As a result, the entire population of the country depends upon farmers . Be it the smallest or the largest country. Because of them only we are able to live on the planet. Thus Farmers are the most important people in the world. Though farmers have so much importance still they do not have proper living.

Importance of farmers

Farmers have great importance in our society. They are the ones who provide us food to eat. Since every person needs proper food for their living, so they are a necessity in society.

There are different types of farmers. And they all have equal significance. First are the farmers who grow a crop like wheat, barley, rice, etc. Since the maximum intake in the Indian houses is of wheat and rice. So, the cultivation of wheat and rice is much in farming. Moreover, farmers who grow these crops are of prime importance. Second, are the ones who cultivate fruits. These farmers have to prepare the soil for different types of fruits. Because these fruits grow according to the season. Therefore the farmers need to have a great knowledge of fruits and crops. There are many other farmers who grow different other types . Furthermore, they all have to work very hard to get maximum harvesting.

In addition to the farmers contribute almost 17% of the Indian economy. That is the maximum of all. But still, a farmer is deprived of every luxury of society.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conditions of farmers in India

The condition of farmers in India is critical. We are hearing suicide news of farmers every week or month. Moreover, farmers are all living a difficult life from past years. The problem is they are not getting enough pay. Since the middlemen get most of the money, so a farmer gets nothing in hand. Moreover, farmers are not having money to send their kids to school. Sometimes the situation gets so worse that they are not even having proper food. Thus farmers go in famine. As a result, they attempt suicides.

Furthermore, the other reason for the worst condition of farmers is Global warming. Since Global Warming is hampering our planet in every way, it affects our farmers too. Because of global warming, there is a delay in season. As different crops have their own season to ripe, they are not getting nourishment. Crops need proper sunlight and rain to grow. So if the crops are not getting it they get destroyed. This is one of the main reasons why farms are getting destroyed. As a result, farmers commit suicide.

In order to save farmers, our Government is trying to provide them with various privileges. Recently the government has exempted them from all the loans. Moreover, the government pays an annual pension of Rs. 6000 to them. This helps them to at least have some earning apart from their profession. Furthermore, the government provides quotas (reservations) to their children. This ensures that their children get a proper education. All the children should get a proper education in today’s world. So that they get a chance to live a better life.

At last, farming is a profession which hard labor and effort . Moreover seeing the growing population of our country we should take initiatives to help farmers of our country.

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Who are farmers?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Farmers are the one who grows crops in farms. Thus they provide us food to eat.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Why are farmers attempting suicides?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”:”Farmers are attempting suicides because their profession is not providing them even food to eat. Moreover, their farms are getting destroyed. As a result, it leaves them with nothing.”} }] }

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• Organic Farming Essay

An introduction to Essay on Organic Farming

Organic farming describes how it uses organic elements and composts and tries to expand soil richness by taking care of soil miniature existence with build-ups from life. For example, trash fertilizer, sewage, excrement, plant deposits, food handling squanders, etc. This essay on organic farming will help you to discover the parts and importance of organic farming. 

This article also deals with the advantages and barriers to it. The organic farming essay also explains the principles behind it and how it is different from the traditional farming technique. An essay on organic farming is essential because it helps us understand the advantages of organic farming and also tells us how the effect of normal farming is harmful.

Segments of Organic Farming

Segments of Organic Farming are discussed below in detail.

Organic Manures

Organic manure provides basic nutrients that are required by plants in limited edition. It is a natural practice adopted by farmers to provide food (plant nutrients) to crop plants. There are various organic manures that are used by farmers such as farm wastes, oilcakes, vermicompost, and biological waste - animal bone. 

Biological Pest Management

The preservation of regular pests is significant for evading the utilization of compound pesticides. Organic pesticides, for example, neem, tobacco and other restorative plants need promotion. Specific microbial pesticides, for instance, Bacillus Thuringiensis offer a guarantee. It is essential to have biological pest management to improve the quality of the soil.

Non-Chemical Weed Control 

Mechanical strategy for weed control is commonly polished to lessen the weed populace. Organic control of weed needs promotion. 

Agronomical Practices

Yield revolution, blended trimming, green manuring practices will improve the physical and compound properties of soil. Consideration of leguminous yields in these practices adds to the ripeness. 

Alley Cropping

Coordination of lasting plants (generally leguminous) in the cultivating framework is called backstreet trimming. 

Principles of Organic Farming

No Chemical Fertilizer

In the event that nature is left to itself, fruitfulness is expanded, organic remains from plants and creatures gather and are deteriorated on a superficial level by microbes and growths. Utilizing straw, green compost, and ranch yard excrement, one can get significant returns without substance manure. 

No Use of Herbicide

Straw mulch and impermanent flooding give successful weed control in numerous fields. 

No Use of Pesticides

The preservation of common adversaries of irritations and the utilization of organic pesticides stay away from the utilization of synthetic pesticides. 

Upkeep of Healthy Soil

Soil well-being is kept up by developing vegetables, green manuring, green leaf manuring, crop pivot, entomb, and blended editing, including vegetables.

Importance of Organic Farming Essay

It doesn't bring about any ecological contamination since it evades the utilization of substance and plant insurance synthetic compounds. 

Less energy is utilized in organic cultivating contrasted with ordinary horticulture.

Less motorization is required. 

Less unsettling influence of soil, legitimate structure, high organic issue substance will be kept up. 

Organic food gets more cost than the product acquired by regular strategies.

Threats to Organic Farming

In changing over to organic cultivating, an underlying harvest misfortune, by and large, happens, especially whenever done rapidly. 

Land assets can move unreservedly from organic cultivating to regular cultivating; they don't move the converse way openly. 

Organic controls may have been debilitated, which may take three or four years for deposits to misfortune their impact.

Short Essay On Organic Farming

Organic farming is an essential part of today’s world. Organic cultivating implies cultivating in the organic connection between soil, water, and plants; between soil, soil organisms, and side-effects. This also implies the connection between the plant realm and the collective of animals; among agribusiness and ranger service; between soil, water and environment. Nature receives diverse techniques to gracefully supplement the dirt and keep up the soil’s fruitfulness. The gracefulness of supplements is undisrupted in nature. The plant leaves produce carbs and later change these carbohydrates into sugar, starch, cellulose, lignin, and so on. 

Organic compost includes mixing carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash rich materials. The minor components are available in extent, and the pivotal carbon-nitrogen proportion is neither too high nor excessively low. This sort of arrangement is inside the capability of ranchers. There is no need to include some nitrogenous manure as a supplement. The nitrogenous substance compost agitates the supplement equalization of soil. Nitrogenous manure is known as an energizer of development, and there is furore for it among the ranchers. Organic farming has many benefits in today’s world and it is esteemed to be much more cautious than the traditional ways of farming. This method, when used, can improve the health of people and the richness of soil on which farming is done. The reliance on these methods is beneficial as they provide more nutritious crops and better nourishment.

Through organic farming, the fertility of soil gets improved. Organic movement and the physical and mineral nature of the dirt are contributing factors. Organic farming is preferred over other modes for this very reason.

FAQs on Organic Farming Essay

1. What is the focus of Organic Farming?

Organic creation of yields is fundamentally the same as normal creation for planting, gathering. Assortments are normally the equivalent. Ripeness, weeds and different nuisances should be overseen in a more serious manner. Harvest pivot and timing of mechanical development are basic to progress. The mix of animals, to help gracefully excrement/fertilizer supplements will likewise be an advantage. Consider joining a few of the natural cultivating affiliations, for example, Canadian Organic Growers (COG) or Ecological Farmers of Ontario (EFO) to build your organization of natural cultivating contacts particularly among other natural ranchers in your general vicinity. 

2. What are the six basic methods of Organic Farming Practices?

The six basic methods of Organic Farming practices are crop diversity, soil management, weed management, controlling other organisms, livestock and genetic modification. These different methods are used in organic farming to improve yield and make farming more efficient. Organic farming methods improve the yield by following traditional practices with new scientific technology.

3. How do students learn about the basics of Organic Farming?

Organic farming can be intimidating for beginners, and one can start little by little and then advance. Basics can be learnt through many sources and sites now available even online. Students can learn about the basics of Organic Farming if they go to Organic Farming Essay for Students in English available on this page. This essay deals with what Organic Farming essentially is and what its advantages, as well as disadvantages, amount to. 

• Skip to global NPS navigation
• Skip to the main content
• Skip to the footer section

Exiting nps.gov

Rate the lesson plan, lesson plan, flora on the plains: grasses, trees, and agriculture.

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Cottonwood trees were critical to life in the southern Great Plains.

NPS/D. Ocheltree

Essential Question

In what ways did plant life on the Great Plains benefit and restrict traders on the Santa Fe Trail?

Identify specific examples of plant species and fuel sources along the Santa Fe Trail and their implementation during the fur trade.

Overview Background:  The southeastern Colorado trading post known as Bent’s Fort was established in 1833 along the Arkansas River bordering Mexico. As a major stop between Independence, MO and Santa Fe, NM, Bent’s Fort was a multicultural and international commerce hub on the Santa Fe Trail. Built on the homelands of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, deemed unorganized U.S. territory during this period, Bent's Fort traded primarily in buffalo robes procured by the Cheyenne and Arapaho people. Traders and merchants from dozens of other Native American nations and Mexico successfully supplied, traded, and exported items here until 1849. The lessons in this unit are based on and include excerpts taken directly from Josiah Gregg’s 1844 published journal titled The Commerce of the Prairies . As a young man, Josiah first embarked with a caravan on the Santa Fe Trail in 1831. For the next nine years, he detailed the commerce, cultures, customs, ecology, and politics of the time. His insights detail firsthand experiences across the southern Great Plains during the fur trade era giving us a fuller picture of the lives and livelihoods for people at Bent's Fort. The unit overview is as follows: Lesson 1 – Geography of the Plains – Navigation Tools and Isolation Lesson 2 – Riverways – Sustenance and Safety Lesson 3 – Optical Illusions and Mirage Lesson 4 – Climate, Drought and Seasons Lesson 5 – Flora on the Plains – Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture Lesson 6 – Fauna: Draft Animals, Buffalo and Rattlesnakes Lesson 7 – Culture: Languages, Food, and Stereotyping Lesson Background:  This lesson explores how natural resources such as prairie grasses, prickly pear, cottonwood trees, and buffalo dung promoted survival for traders and merchants in the southern Great Plains as either nutrition or fuel. Prior knowledge of the fur trade era will help give this lesson context. See "Introduction to Bent's Old Fort PowerPoint" in lesson materials.   

Preparation

• Josiah Gregg Lesson 5 Flora: Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture narrative text
• Photos of the southern Plains short-grass prairie including grasses, cottonwood trees, prickly pear, and pine nuts
• Prairie grasslands range map
• Exit Ticket

Companion text to Lesson 5 Flora on the Plains to include Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture sections

Download Josiah Gregg Unit Lesson 5 Flora on the Plains narrative text

Shortgrass, mixed grass, and tall grass prairie range map

Download Prairie Grasslands Range Map

Great Plains flora species images

Download Josiah Gregg Lesson 5 Flora species images

An optional 37-slide introduction to Bent's Old Fort with notes to build prior knowledge of the fur trade era before teaching lesson 5.

Download Introduction to Bent's Old Fort PowerPoint

Lesson Hook/Preview

Provide students with pictures or actual samples of common grasses in your area. Identify them and brainstorm areas of the country where these types of grasses may not be available. View "Prairie Grasslands Range Map" and consider the following question: "When can prairie grass be dangerous?" 

1. After 3-5 minutes, invite volunteers to share their answer(s) to the prompt. Accept any reasonable response such as: prairie fire, hiding the trail from view, concealing poisonous snakes, spiders, aggressive mammals, etc., specific grasses that may be harmful when ingested or smoked, pollens triggering allergies, tall height causing people or animals to get lost, etc.   2. Preview vocabulary word meanings. 3. Before reading, tell whole group they will be reading about plant life on the southern Great Plains during the 1830s and 1840s. Ask them to anticipate what the author might have written about prairie grasses. Tell students their reading assignment will reveal Josiah Gregg's answer to the question "When can prairie grass be dangerous?" 4. Assign reading of the "Grasses" section for the Josiah Gregg Unit Lesson 5 - Flora on the Plains: Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture narrative text. 5. After reading, direct group to create a list of pro's and con's/benefits and dangers for the existence of prairie grasses along the Plains during the fur trade era. 6. Invite students to share their list. Guide them to include the benefit of grasses for the nourishment for bison and other game as well as for the draft animals pulling carts and wagon loads for traders at Bent’s Fort. 7. Ask group to consider what other plant life a person making a journey on the Santa Fe Trail might need. Invite responses. 8. Pre-read questions covered in the next narrative text section on "Trees/Wood" and "Agriculture":   a. What would a Santa Fe trader have used for fuel besides wood or    grasses?  b. Since the grasses themselves were not a real food source for humans  what other vegetation grew along the route that could have been used in  the trader's diet? 9. Assign reading and questions for the "Trees/Wood" and "Agriculture" section of the Josiah Gregg Unit Lesson 5 - Flora on the Plains: Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture narrative text.  10. After reading, invite group to share responses to the two questions. Clarify any misunderstandings and summarize the main ideas. 11. Pass out Exit Ticket.

eminence - a piece of rising ground glade - a small area of grass without trees torrent - a strong and fast-moving stream Borderlands - region of land that surrounds the U.S. territories and Mexico destitute - poor or lacking ravine - a narrow gorge with steep sides variegate - to vary or make diverse  peasantry - poor farm laborers

Assessment Materials

Exit Ticket containing Lesson 5's essential question.

In what ways did plant life in the Great Plains benefit and restrict traders on the Santa Fe Trail?

Exit ticket containing Lesson 5 Flora on the Plains' essential question.

Download Assessment

Rubric/Answer Key

Answers to Flora on the Plains Exit Ticket

In what ways did plant life on the Great Plains benefit and restrict traders on the Santa Fe Trail? Benefits: The prairie grasses like buffalo grass and blue grama nourished bison and other game animals that traders could hunt for meat during their journey. When bison could not be found, their manure (which was based on a prairie grass diet) could be repurposed as a fuel source. Prairie grasses also fed the livestock traveling with or pulling the merchant caravans. Cottonwood trees provided firewood and kindling for campfire cooking and heat overnight. Cottonwood timber could be used for wagon repair. Indian corn, wheat, red pepper, prickly pear, and pine nuts could be harvested for food when available. Restrictions: Prairie grasses that grew along the Great Plains landscape produced a vast flatness that made navigation on the trail difficult. The lack of geographical or human landmarks sometimes caused travelers to become confused and lose their way. Further, during hot and dry seasons, grasses were prone to wildfire caused by lightning or human carelessness which threatened traders' lives and supplies. 

Supports for Struggling Learners

Use paired or group read-aloud for narrative text. Clarify vocabulary meanings prior to reading.

Enrichment Activities

Science extension: Discuss the inference Gregg makes when he states, “The old grass of the valley in which we were encamped had not been burned off.” Consider these questions: 1. Why did Gregg expect the old grass to be burned already and by whom? (It was commonly practiced by tribal nations along the Great Plains.) 2. Why were controlled burns of grasses practiced? (To prevent expansion of wildfires and sometimes as a hunting method.) 3. Is fire always a harmful thing? (No. It allows certain species to grow and thrive and controls more invasive species.) 4. Is controlled burning responsible management of the natural resource during this time period in your opinion? (Consider the impact of wind and lack of more modern ways to control fire.) Art and Language extension:  Draw native plant and tree species that grow in your local area. Describe them scientifically or poetically. Include their past and present uses. Writing extension: Write a fictional narrative from the perspective of a prairie grass or tree species during the fur trade era. Include threats to your survival.

Additional Resources

Conservation article by Josh Lefers 2022. Grasslands and You-Introducing the Prairies | Audubon Great Plains  (Accessed August 16, 2024). Digital copy of Gregg's original two volumes published in 1849. (Accessed August 16, 2024). Commerce Of The Prairies (1849) Josiah Gregg : Victorian Vault : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive Santa Fe National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Related Lessons or Education Materials

As a young man, Josiah Gregg embarked with a caravan on the Santa Fe Trail in 1831. For the next nine years, he kept a journal detailing the commerce, cultures, customs, ecology, and politics of the time making eight trips along this trading route. His journal titled The Commerce of the Prairies was published in 1844. All lessons in this unit are based on and include excerpts directly from this text. The unit overview is as follows: Lesson 1 – Geography of the Plains – Navigation Tools and Isolation Lesson 2 – Riverways – Sustenance and Safety Lesson 3 – Optical Illusions and Mirage Lesson 4 – Climate, Drought and Seasons Lesson 5 – Flora on the Plains – Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture Lesson 6 – Fauna: Draft Animals, Buffalo and Rattlesnakes Lesson 7 – Culture: Languages, Food, and Stereotyping

Contact Information

Email us about this lesson plan

Lesson Plans

Last updated: August 21, 2024

Future Prospects and Dynamics of Digitalization in Agriculture

6 Pages Posted: 21 Aug 2024

Sneha Kumari

Symbiosis School of Economics

Nisha Bharti

Symbiosis International University

Varun Miglani

Symbiosis International University - Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB)

Date Written: August 14, 2024

Digitalization in agriculture has been emerging as key research across the agribusiness industry. To go ahead with Digitalization in agriculture, it is essential to understand the prospects of Digitalization. Since the prospects of Digitalization vary between developing and developed countries. On the one hand, advanced countries have been adopting Digitalization while they are missing in developing and undeveloped countries. Therefore, this study aims to explore the research on Digitalization, to understand the countries, areas, and critical topics in the area and to pave the way for future recommendations. The article uses the Scopus database to extract manuscripts from the year 1984 to 2022. The clusters and analytics highlight the trend of emerging areas in Digitalization in agriculture over the years. The findings discuss key journals, authors, countries, and keywords in Digitalization in agriculture. The research focuses on Digitalization, mobile applications, the internet of things, smart farming, precision agriculture, smart agriculture, and machine learning. The findings reveal a growing demand for research manuscripts in the area of Digitalization, mobile applications, and the internet of things in agriculture. The bibliometric study is followed by the relevant research studies and the application of Digitalization in agriculture. The study will help to understand the advances in Digitalization for sustaining agriculture. Our study will contribute to both academic and managerial implications.

Keywords: Digitalization, agriculture, farmers, smart farming, internet of things, machine learning, data analytics

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Sneha Kumari (Contact Author)

Symbiosis school of economics ( email ), symbiosis international university ( email ).

SB Road, Lavale Mulshi Pune, Maharashtra 411004 India

Symbiosis International University - Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB) ( email )

G. No. 174/1 Taluka - Mulshi Hinjewadi, Maharasthra 411057 India

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics, related ejournals, anthropology of agriculture & nutrition ejournal.

Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic

International Conference on Innovative Computing & Communication (ICICC) 2024

Subscribe to this free journal for more curated articles on this topic

Agriculture in India

Essay on livestock sector | india.

Here is an essay on the ‘Role of Livestock in Indian Agriculture’ for class 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on the ‘Role of Livestock in Indian Agriculture’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Livestock Sector  

Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Conclusion to Livestock Sector

Essay # 1. Introduction to Livestock Sector:

Livestock sector plays a multi-faceted role in socio-economic development of rural households. Livestock rearing has significant positive impact on equity in terms of income and employment and poverty reduction in rural areas as distribution of livestock is more egalitarian as compared to land.

In India, over 70% of the rural households own livestock and a majority of livestock owning households are small, marginal and landless farmers. Small animals like sheep, goats, pigs and poultry are largely kept by the poor households for commercial purposes due to their low initial investment and operational costs.

In the recent decade, demand for various livestock-based products has increased significantly due to increase in per capita income, urbanization, taste and preference and increased awareness about food nutrition. Livestock sector is likely to emerge as an important facet for agricultural growth in the coming decades and is also considered as a potential sector for export earnings.

Development of animal husbandry is envisaged as an integral part of a sound system of diversified agriculture. Emphasis is laid on mixed farming, a system in which crop production and animal husbandry are dovetailed for efficient and economic utilisation of land, labour and capital.

The integration of agriculture farming with animal husbandry is essential for the better utilisation of farm by-products, maintenance of soil .fertility, fuller employment for agriculturists throughout the year and increase in rural incomes.

Essay # 2. Livestock Rearing Practices in India:

Livestock rearing in India is mainly practised as a backyard production system wherein the farmers rear a few livestock specially for meeting the household requirements and the excess milk is sold in local market or milk collecting units. Thus, by being as an important means of income and employment for these households livestock helps to alleviate poverty and smoothen income distribution.

In addition, livestock asset can be easily converted into cash, and thus acts as cushion against shocks of crop failure particularly in the less favoured environments. Further it has been found that most of the livestock population is owned by the small and marginal fanners, who possess 71% of cattle, 63% of buffaloes, 66% of small ruminants, 70% of pigs and 74% of poultry (Table 5.1).

This implies that marginal and small holders derive a considerable proportion of their income from livestock. Evidences indicate that increase in income from livestock in rural areas reduce income inequality.

Essay # 3. Animal Census and Economic Importance of Livestock Sector:

India possesses one of the largest livestock populations in the world which is at present estimated to be more than 484.9 million with the top position in cattle (178.8 million), Buffalo (101 million), goat (126 million) and sheep (62 million). Further the country has about 14% of the world cattle population and 57.30% of the world buffalo population. The country possesses 6% of sheep and 17% of world goat population.

Further our country has larger number of breeds of cattle (30), buffalo (10), goat (20) and sheep (42). Of the total buffalo and cattle breeds of the world, approx., 75% and 20% respectively are available in Asia and 15% and 5% in India. The poultry which was considered as a backyard venture in the early 60’s has now been transformed into strong agro-based farming activity. India accounts for nearly 3% of the world poultry population.

Further with an annual production of about 102 million tone of milk and 46.1 billion eggs, India ranks 1st and 2nd in world respectively, and is one of the top ten broiler producers in the world. Our country has achieved annual growth rates of 4-5% for milk, meat and egg production during the last decade. The value of output from animal husbandry and dairying to agriculture over the years has increased and is about 26% of the agricultural GDP and approx., 5.7% of the national GDP. This has increased gradually from 14% in 1980-81.

On the other hand, the contribution of the agricultural sector to the gross domestic product decreased from 35% in 1980-81 to 26% in 1997-98. Further agriculture got 4% share of annual budget but growth rate is not increasing and animal husbandry sector is getting only 1% share but there is increase in annual growth rate. Animal husbandly sector contribute 5.7 to 8% growth rate as compared to the 1.7-2% growth in crop production per year.

In fact the increasing growth rate of animal husbandry will help the agriculture sector to acquire 4% increase in growth as a whole to make nation developed country. Although the contribution of livestock to Ag GDP has been rising continuously, its contribution to rural employment is not so encouraging.

In terms of principal activity livestock employs about 5% of the rural work force, its share has, however, declined to 1% at present. Low share in rural employment is because livestock rearing in India is taken up as a subsidiary to crop production and mostly practised as a supporting and backyard enterprise.

Table 5.2 is indicating the census data of 2003, however, in text present estimated census and production data has been depicted.

There is a tremendous scope of promoting the backyard livestock keeping in India into commercial micro-enterprises through entrepreneurship development programmes and entrepreneur favourable government policies. Apart from rearing of livestock, the livestock-based industry has vast scope of generating additional income and employment through its-various allied enterprises such as the commercial livestock rearing units, livestock input industry, livestock product processing units and organic livestock production units which can be harnessed for increasing employment and income in the rural areas.

Essay # 4. Organic Livestock Production Units:

In the past decade, there has been an increasing awareness about the use of organic products especially in developed countries. The demand for organic products has created new export opportunities for the developing world. The organic products are sold at impressive premiums often at prices 20% higher than the identical traditional products.

Therefore, there exists tremendous opportunities of entrepreneurship development through organic livestock production in our country. The major characteristic of the organic food is that it is produced in a naturally defined ecosystem without the use of any artificial means. But production of organic food especially in developed countries is a tough task as there is a heavy use of chemicals such as fertilizer, pesticide and herbicides.

India has an edge over the developed countries in this aspect as still in most parts of our country the agricultural production is chemical free and the farmers are very close to being organic. The only difference is that they are not aware about the standards and procedures so as to get their products certified as organic products.

Therefore the major requirement is of making our farmers aware about the national standards for organic production developed by APEDA, Ministry of Commerce, GOI, so as to help them fetch higher price for their produce. Such an effort will in turn generate additional employment and income in the livestock sector.

Livestock Product Post-Harvest Processing Units:

In India, the revenue from livestock sector is mostly generated by the raw livestock produce, i.e. milk, meat and eggs. Hardly a small percent is being processed and value added. Post-harvest processing helps in enhancing the shelf life of livestock products, which are a highly perishable commodity and also helps in reducing contamination thereby enhancing the palatability and market value of the livestock products.

The annual production of meat and poultry products in India is estimated to be almost 4 million tones per annum, whereas about 1 percent of meat produced is converted into value added products. There is a tremendous opportunity in the livestock sector for employ­ment generation through livestock product processing and value addition. The rural youth can establish various types of livestock product processing and value addition units to earn a livelihood, viz.

1. Milk chilling, storage and packaging units.

2. Meat freezing and packaging units.

3. Milk pasteurization units.

4. Commercial milk product (ghee, paneer, khoa, etc.) production.

5. Commercial meat products value addition unit for preparing nuggets, soup powder, papad, sausage, pickle, crackles, patties, samosa, etc. from mutton, chicken, fish pork and eggs.

6. Processing unit for important organs of dead animals or slaughter house by products.

Processing Units for Important Organs of Dead Animals:

In India, many million animals die every year and there is no proper processing place or unit in rural area where remaining body parts of dead animals (skin, hides, hair bristles, horn, hoof, intestine, bones, etc.) can be processed and can be converted into value added products. Processing techniques are easy and rural youth can get the training from IVRI or any veterinary college.

Collections of various glands from slaughter animals are also very beneficial to prepare various kinds of hormones, enzymes, medicines. The processed organ or parts of dead animals are in great demand not in our country but abroad also. Although these practices are already in vogue in villages and slaughter houses but in crude form not scientifically.

Essay # 5. Emerging Area in Livestock Production and Allied Activities:

India ranks no. 1 in the world in cattle population, buffalo population, milk production. White revolution played an important role in envisaging high yield genes, cross-bred, artificial insemination and other improved technological development. As the population is increasing fast land holding gets shrinking and it is being smaller and smaller.

Under this environment, we have to focus more on non-farm activities which will need lesser land holding. Increased income, employment generation in rural areas and also providing a healthy generation to the country. Bank has approved various bankable schemes for daily development, poultry development for egg production, hatcheries, broiler production, duck-rearing, piggeries, sheep and goat rearing, etc.

Salient features of some of the schemes are as under:

Agriclinic and Agribusiness Centres:

To provide self-employment opportunities to technically trained persons and strengthen transfer of technology and extension of services.

Eligibility:

Agricultural graduates/graduates in subject allied to agriculture like horticulture, animal husbandry, and forestry, dairy, veterinary, poultry, pisciculture and other activities.

Project Cost:

Individual activity- Rs.10 lacs.

Group Activity:

Rs.50 lacs (group = individuals of which 1 management graduate).

As applicable to direct agricultural advances.

Margin and Security:

5 to 10 years with grace period of maximum 2 years.

Essay # 6. Loans Provided to Livestock-Based Enterprises from Banks:

Various banks are providing loan for livestock-based enterprises. Here two models, i.e. financing for dairy and poultry unit have been given. However, time to time, and bank to bank financing terms and conditions may vary.

Model Scheme for Financing a Diary Unit of 10 Cross-Bred Cows:

Economics of 10 Cross-Bred Cows Unit:

Financing for Poultry Units:

i. The site should be dry, without water logging, well drained and properly accessible. It should be 500 meters away from the existing farm.

ii. Distance between brooder shed, grower shed and layer shed should be 100 ft. from each other.

iii. Distance between two layers sheds should be 70 ft.

iv. The shed should have East West orientation.

v. Height of shed should 16 to 22 ft. with a maximum width of 35 ft. and a length of 100 to 400 ft.

vi. Feed mixing unit should be minimum 300 ft. away from sheds.

vii. Floor space Norms – Sheds (sq. ft.)

ix. Vaccination schedule for layers, and broilers as suggested by poultry experts should be strictly followed. All vaccinations should be completed before 15 to 16 weeks of age.

x. The birds should be insured.

The premium rate of insurance of birds, equipment and building, etc., is:

xi. The total flock is brought in batches depending on the availability of sheds. Interval between introductions of batches should be 12 weeks.

xii. The economic size is 50000 birds for a layer unit in traditional area. For broilers, the unit size can be determined primarily based on the market potential in the area.

All the initiatives discussed above need massive financial support both from government and banks. The financial institutions should look at agriculture as a viable commercial activity rather than a traditional one and thus play a major role in changing the face of rural economy. It is all the more essential in the present day that all the institutions connected with agriculture and rural development should work with the spirit of partnership to give boost to the rural economy as per the policy initiatives of the government.

Essay # 7. Insurance Schemes for Livestock Sector:

Insurance of livestock is highly essential as animals suffer from many natural and unnatural calamities and animal may die due to various ailments at any time and age. There are certain diseases like FMD, HS, anthrax, leptospirosis, brucellosis, TB, paratuberculosis, chemical plant toxicity or poisoning, burn, electrocution, drowning of the animals in flood, death due to enmity, etc. So it is essential to farmers/livestock owners to protect themselves from these losses.

They may insure their animals with any insurance company, viz:

1. National Insurance Co. Ltd.

2. The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.

3. Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd.

4. United India Insurance Co. Ltd.

The premiums of the insurance of all the four companies are same. If farmers/livestock owners are taking loan from any bank it become compulsory to get insured the animal otherwise also insurance always protect livestock owners from the losses of various causative agents.

Essay # 8. Conclusion to Livestock Sector:

Animal husbandry is the backbone of Indian agriculture and it is having potential to increase percent annual growth rate and GDP, for making livestock sector potential enterprise. A suitable infrastructure technical support is must.

There are 5 thumb needs to develop livestock industry, viz.:

1. Proper breeding and reproduction policy at national level.

2. Proper nutrition for all the seasons and adverse condition also. It can be decided on regional level by developing feed and fodder banks.

3. Proper management, i.e. proper housing and hygienic conditions.

4. Proper health management, viz. preventive and therapeutic.

5. Proper marketing awareness for livestock owners and trained them for result oriented techniques for value addition products.

Government of India should also provide subsidy to animal sector as well as frame such policies which develop the interest of farmers in livestock sector. Support of technocrat is highly needed to train the rural masses so that they can apply the latest technical knowledge for developing proper enterprise in this sector.

Related Articles:

• Livestock Sector and Rural Economy | India | Livestock Management
• Contributions of Livestock Sector to Rural Areas | India

Essay , Agriculture , India , Livestock Sector

Privacy Overview

• Entertainment
• Life & Style

To enjoy additional benefits

CONNECT WITH US

The road to 2047 for Indian agriculture Premium

There are several challenges but also opportunities.

Updated - August 24, 2024 12:11 pm IST

Published - August 24, 2024 12:08 am IST

At Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati, Assam | Photo Credit: The Hindu

India’s centennial year of independence is still away, in 2047, but the goal of becoming a developed nation looms large. Achieving this requires a significant increase in per capita Gross National Income (GNI) to about six times the current level. This necessitates a comprehensive development approach, especially in agriculture.

Transforming Indian agriculture depends on adopting sustainable practices that ensure long-term productivity and environmental health. Precision farming, genetically modified crops, and advanced irrigation techniques such as drip and sprinkler systems are leading this transformation. For instance, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has covered 78 lakh hectares, promoting water-use efficiency through micro-irrigation. The scheme’s ₹93,068 crore allocation for 2021-26 underscores the government’s commitment to sustainable water management.

Related Stories

Centre talks to States on new mechanism to gather crop data

Centre launches new system to understand cropping patterns, impact of weather

New AI platform will connect farmers and scientists over phone, aid in pest control

Cabinet clears new scheme to supply virus-free planting material

India’s agricultural sector faces challenges, including climate change, land degradation, and market access issues. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), introduced in 2016, provides financial assistance for crop losses. With 49.5 crore farmers enrolled and claims totalling over ₹1.45 lakh crore, the scheme is a cornerstone of agricultural risk management.

The Electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM), launched in 2016, integrates existing markets through an electronic platform. By September 2023, 1,361 mandis had been integrated, benefiting 1.76 million farmers and recording trade worth ₹2.88 lakh crore. This initiative improves market access and ensures better price realisation for farmers.

An imbalance

Despite agriculture engaging nearly 46% of the workforce, agriculture’s contribution to GDP is about 18%, highlighting a stark imbalance. If current growth trends continue, this disparity will worsen: while overall GDP has grown at 6.1% annually since 1991-92, agricultural GDP lags at 3.3%. Under the Narendra Modi administration, overall GDP growth was 5.9%, and agriculture grew at 3.6%. However, this is insufficient for a sector so critical to the nation’s socio-economic fabric.

By 2047, agriculture’s share in GDP might shrink to 7%-8%, yet, it could still employ over 30% of the workforce if significant structural changes are not implemented. This indicates that merely maintaining the current growth trajectory will not suffice.

The expected 7.6% overall GDP growth for 2023-24 is promising. However, the agri-GDP’s anaemic growth of 0.7%, primarily due to unseasonal rains, is alarming.

Further, according to United Nations projections, India’s population is expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2030 and 1.59 billion by 2040. Following the agricultural challenges, meeting the food requirements of this burgeoning population will be imperative. With an estimated expenditure elasticity of food at 0.45, the demand for food is expected to grow by approximately 2.85% annually, considering the population growth rate of 0.85%.

India’s real per capita income increased by 41% from 2011-12 to 2021-22 and is projected to accelerate further. However, the expenditure elasticity post-2023 is anticipated to be lower, correlating a 5% rise in per capita expenditure to a 2% growth in demand. The anticipated food demand will vary among commodities, with meat demand growing by 5.42% and rice demand by a mere 0.34%.

To address these challenges, rationalising food and fertilizer subsidies and redirecting savings towards agricultural research and development innovation and extension services are crucial.

Some initiatives

Several initiatives have been rolled out to bolster farmer prosperity and sustainable agricultural growth. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), launched in 2019, disburses ₹6,000 annually to farmers in three instalments. This scheme has already benefited over 11.8 crore farmers, offering much-needed financial support. Another critical initiative, the Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, aims to optimise soil nutrient use, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity. Over 23 crore SHCs have been distributed, providing farmers with crucial insights into soil health and nutrient management.

The government also championed the International Year of Millets in 2023, promoting nutritious coarse grains, both domestically and internationally.

The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, with a ₹1 lakh crore financing facility, supports the development and modernisation of post-harvest management infrastructure. Within three years, over 38,326 projects have been sanctioned, mobilising ₹30,030 crore in the agricultural infrastructure sector. These projects have created employment for more than 5.8 lakh individuals and improved farmer incomes by 20%-25% through better price realisation.

Moreover, the Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) initiative aims to ensure transparent property ownership in rural areas. As of September 2023, over 1.6 crore property cards have been generated, enhancing land security and facilitating credit access for farmers.

Strategic planning

The government’s strategic planning for agriculture, leading up to 2047, focuses on several key areas: anticipated future demand for agricultural products, insights from past growth catalysts, existing challenges, and potential opportunities in the agricultural landscape. Projections indicate that the total demand for food grains in 2047-48 will range from 402 million tonnes to 437 million tonnes, with production anticipated to exceed demand by 10%-13% under the Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario.

However, to meet this demand sustainably, significant investments in agricultural research, infrastructure, and policy support are required. The Budget for 2024-25, with an allocation of ₹20 lakh crore for targeted agricultural credit and the launch of the Agriculture Accelerator Fund, highlights the government’s proactive approach to fostering agricultural innovation and growth.

The road to 2047 presents both challenges and opportunities for Indian agriculture. By embracing sustainable practices, leveraging technological innovations, and implementing strategic initiatives, India can enhance farmer incomes, meet the food demands of its growing population, and achieve inclusive, sustainable development.

Souryabrata Mohapatra is with the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi. Sanjib Pohit is with the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi

Related Topics

India / Independence Day / agriculture / environmental issues / genetics / water supply / government / climate change / electronic commerce / farms / farmland / economy (general) / Prime Minister Narendra Modi / labour / United Nations / population / food security / fertiliser

Top News Today

• Access 10 free stories every month
• Save stories to read later
• Access to comment on every story
• Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
• Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products

Terms & conditions   |   Institutional Subscriber

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

50 Latest Agriculture IELTS Topics

• Unlimited Task 1 checks Get all the feedback you need to keep improving your charts and letters.
• Unlimited Task 2 checks Practice and perfect your skills with essays.
• Personalized suggestions Know how to boost your score.
• Detailed mistakes analysis Get instant feedback. Spot every mistake.
• Topic ideas generator Get topic-specific ideas to enhance your writing.
• Vocabulary helper Get the right words for any topic.
• Progress tracking Track your writing improvements.

The Ohio State University

• BuckeyeLink
• Find People
• Search Ohio State

CFAES COVID-19 Resources:    Safe and Healthy Buckeyes   |   COVID-19 Hub   |   CFAES Calendar

College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

Hardin County

Farm Science Review tickets are now available for presale purchase from our office and online until September 16th. Tickets are $10 in advance (children 5 and under are free). After September 16th, tickets purchased online or at the gate will cost $15. 

Farm Science Review will take place September 17th-19th, 2024 in London, OH at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center. When traveling to the Farm Science Review, type Farm Science Review, London, OH in your mapping device and it will guide you to the show.

Farm Science Review show hours are 8-5pm on Tuesday & Wednesday, and 8-4pm on Thursday.

More information about the event may be found here:  fsr.osu.edu

Information about handicap accessibility at Farm Science Review can be found at  https://fsr.osu.edu/visitors/handicap-accessibility

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.