Agriculture Notes

What are the types of farming?

Dairy, and Eggs;

Livestock & Poultry: Meat,

Utilizes Rangeland
Agriculture: growing one crop
(monoculture) or many crops
(polyculture)
Aquaculture: raising aquatic organisms
for food

How did the Green Revolution change faming?

GOALS:

STOP HUNGER
INCREASE crop yield
Minimize crop losses/failure

METHODS:

New, high-yield grain varieties

Pesticides
Fertilizers
Better Management Practices
More technologically advanced
machinery
Vision: Treat agriculture as a business
(agribusiness). Plant a large amount of
a single species (monocropping)

DRAWBACKS:

Too expensive
Air, soil, and water pollution due to
toxic chemicals
Uneven distributionpoorer countries
still cant transport food
Pesticide Resistance
Practices of Conventional Farming
(Since Green Revolution)
Maximize OutputHigh Efficiency
Minimize Space
Concentrated Animal Feeding
Operations (CAFOS)
Genetically Modified Crops
(temperature and chemical resistance)

Heavy equipment (Fossil Fuels)

Chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers)
Tillage

Sustainable Farming Practices

Sustainable Output
Takes more Space
Pasture/Rangeland Feeding
Incorporates more human and animal
labor
Minimize Chemical Usage
(Biochemicals)
POLYCULTURE
Low Till or No Till

Benefits

Conventional
Lower food costs
Fast production times (more growing
seasons in a given year)
Meets increased demand
Sustainable
Healthier for humans and organisms
alike
Higher quality foods (in terms of
energy)
Conserves energy and water resources
Lower biodiversity/environmental
impact

Risks/Impact

Conventional
Biodiversity/Habitat Degradation
Soil, Water, and Air Pollution
Erosion/Desertification
Energy and Water Loss
Contamination of Human Foods
Pesticide and Antibiotic Resistance
Sustainable
Higher food costs
Low yield
Decreased availability
More susceptible to storms, pests,
changes in environment, etc.
Which method most affect land?

Sustainable because it takes up a lot

of land.