From Dirt to DNA Agriscience Applications

1. From Dirt to DNAAgriscience Applications

2. What is Agriculture? • Activities concerned with the production of plants and animals, and related supplies, services, mechanics, products, processing, and marketing.

3. USDA refers to agriculture as…. • “Agriculture/ Agribusiness and renewable natural resources”. • Another definition is food, fiber, and environmental systems.

4. What is Agriscience? • The application of scientific principles and new technologies to agriculture.

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

6. Examples of Applied Sciences • Agronomy • Uses biology and chemistry to discover new ways to control weeds in crops. • Entomology • Uses biology and chemistry to study insect life. • Agricultural Engineering • Uses physics to develop new machinery. • Saw Stop

7. Agriscience employs….. • The scientific method to solve problems. • The steps to the scientific method are…. • Identify the problem. • Review literature. • Form a hypothesis. • Prepare a project proposal. • Design the experiment. • Collect the data. • Draw conclusions. • Prepare a written report.

8. Why is Agriculture/Agriscience Important? • Largest “employer” and the largest source of income in the United States and North Carolina.

9. Opportunities in Agriculture • Agricultural production is supported by many more careers than actually exist in production. • Many careers in agriscience products & distribution are needed to grade, transport, process, package, & market agriculture commodities. • Products, Processing & Distribution • Projections show that the average size of farms in the U.S. will increase while the number of farms will decrease.

10. Opportunities in Agriculture • Twenty percent of all jobs in the U.S. are agriscience related. • In addition to farming, agriscience jobs help support farmers to meet the world’s food & fiber needs. • Areas include: • Production • Processing, products, and distribution • Supplies and services.

11. World Outlook • The world population will grow as more people beget more people. • More children are surviving to adulthood. • More adults are living longer. • Population growth will…. • Add stress to environmental systems of air, water, soil, and natural resources. • Create challenges to meet the demands for food and fiber (clothing and shelter).

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

13. Trends for Agriculture/Agriscience • An expanded view of agriculture is necessary.

14. 7 Divisions of Agriculture • Agribusiness • Agriscience Mechanics • Agronomy • Animal Science • Biotechnology • Horticulture • Natural Resources Where Did That Come From?

15. What is Agribusiness? • Commercial firms that have developed with or stem out of agriculture.

16. Farming Chemical company Fertilizer dealer Seed store Tractor dealer Horticulture Landscape nursery Greenhouse dealer Horticulture supply company Agribusiness includes….

17. What is Agriscience Mechanics? • The application of engineering principles in agricultural settings.

18. Agriscience Mechanics includes…. • The design, operation, maintenance, service, selling, and use of power units, machinery, equipment, structures, and utilities in agriscience.

19. What is Agronomy? • The application of soil and plant sciences to land management and crop production.

20. Agronomy includes…. • Crop Science • Soil Science • Turfgrass Management • Weed Science • Range Management

21. What is Animal Science? • The care, management, and production of domestic animals.

22. Animal Science includes…. • Livestock • Companion Animals • Specialty Animals

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

24. Biotechnology includes…. • Genetics • Biochemistry • Microbiology • Toxicology • Plant Pathology

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

26. Horticulture includes…. • Greenhouse Management • Nursery Management • Landscape Architecture • Plant Physiology • Integrated Pest Management

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

28. Natural Resources - Forestry • Timber management for lumber, poles, post, plywood, and etc. is another part of the agricultural industry.

29. Other Examples include: • Wildlife • Water • Fish • Soils • Air

30. What are Commodities? • Agricultural products which are sold. • Examples: • Milk • Corn • Wheat • Beef • Cotton

31. U.S. Agricultural Commodities (Market Value of Products Sold) • Total Crops • California • Total Livestock • Texas • Total Ag Income • California

32. #1 Soybeans #2 Corn* #3 Wheat #4 Cotton #5 Misc. Hort Products #6 Poultry Meat** #7 Feed #8 Edible Tree Nuts #9 Pork #10 Feed Grain Top 10 U.S. Ag Commodity Exports *Consistently ranks in top 5 in U.S. grain exports year after year. **Number 1 meat export as far as tonnage shipped from the U.S.

33. Agricultural Commodities Corn • _______ ranks in the top five in US agricultural commodities every year. • __________ are the world’s most important source of vegetable oil and provide basic materials for hundreds of products. • During the 1990s ________ was the number one meat export from the US. Soybeans Poultry

34. U.S. Dept of Agriculture • Secretary • Mike Johanns • Nebraska

35. U.S. Dept of Agriculture • Oversees the following: • Food Safety Inspection • Commodity Grading • Meat • Fruit • Vegetables • Eggs

36. U.S. Dept of Agriculture • Oversees the following: • School Lunch Program • Food Stamps • Agricultural Cooperatives • U.S. Forest Service • Cooperative Extension • Agricultural Marketing

37. North Carolina Agriculture

38. General NC Ag. Information • There are 2,200,000 farms in N.C. • Includes small farms • 90.8% of farms in N.C. are family farms. • The average N.C. farmer is 57 years old. • The county with the most amount of agricultural sales is Duplin County.

39. Top Commodities In NC During the 1990s the top three agricultural commodities in terms of cash receipts for North Carolina were: • Hogs • Broilers • Tobacco

40. North Carolina Agriculture • North Carolina is #1 in the following commodities. • Tobacco • Sweet potatoes

41. North Carolina Agriculture • North Carolina is #2 in the following commodities. • Hogs • Christmas Trees • Turkeys

42. North Carolina Agriculture • North Carolina is #3 in the following commodities. • Cucumber Processing • Trout • Total Poultry & Eggs

43. Agricultural Statistics - Cash Receipts : 2008

44. North Carolina Agriculture

45. NC Dept of Agriculture • Steve Troxler • Current Commissioner • Guilford County

46. NC Dept of Agriculture • Oversees the following: • All agricultural issues • Weights & Standards • Food & Drugs in North Carolina • NC State Fair

47. NC Dept of Agriculture • Oversees the following: • Marketing • Farmer’s Markets • Goodness Grows Program • Research Stations • Structural Pests • Veterinarian Program

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

49. Progress in Agriculture • Mechanization helps 2% of America’s work force to meet the food & fiber needs of our nation. • (2% of US population works “on the farm”.) • There has been a reduction from 90% of the nation’s populace involved in farming 200 years ago.

50. Progress in Agriculture: Historical Events • George Washington • In 1785, he became the first American to own mules. • Also introduced agricultural concepts such as terracing, crop rotation, and the use of cover crops.