Recognizing the Importance Recognizing the Importance of Agricultureof Agriculture

Revisiting the Definition of Revisiting the Definition of AgricultureAgriculture

On page 1 of your Know Book On page 1 of your Know Book

Agriculture: The production, processing, Agriculture: The production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food, fiber and marketing, and distribution of food, fiber and natural resourcesnatural resources

Definition ContinuedDefinition Continued

Food: Any product that can be ingestedFood: Any product that can be ingested

Fiber: Any class of materials that consists of Fiber: Any class of materials that consists of lengths of filament that can be used to make lengths of filament that can be used to make clothes or other such productsclothes or other such products

Natural Resources: Naturally occuring Natural Resources: Naturally occuring substances that are considered valuable in their substances that are considered valuable in their relatively unmodified formrelatively unmodified form

Definitions ContinuedDefinitions Continued

Production: the act of producing (i.e. growing Production: the act of producing (i.e. growing or raising)or raising)

Processing: to prepare, treat, or convert (i.e. Processing: to prepare, treat, or convert (i.e. package, sort, slaughter, wash)package, sort, slaughter, wash)

Marketing/Distribution: the total of activities Marketing/Distribution: the total of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the involved in the transfer of goods from the producer to the consumer/buyerproducer to the consumer/buyer

What does that mean to me?What does that mean to me?

On page 2 of your Know book write a On page 2 of your Know book write a paragraph that details why agriculture is paragraph that details why agriculture is important to you and how it affects you!important to you and how it affects you!

Virginia AgricultureVirginia Agriculture

On page 3 of Know Book draw a picture On page 3 of Know Book draw a picture representing Virginia Agriculture after reading representing Virginia Agriculture after reading the articlethe article

Virginia AgricultureVirginia Agriculture Virginia Agriculture is a diverse industry that Virginia Agriculture is a diverse industry that

encompasses traditional crops and productsencompasses traditional crops and products Milk, poultry, beef, and soybeansMilk, poultry, beef, and soybeans

VA also produces uniquely southern crops VA also produces uniquely southern crops like:like: Cotton, peanuts, tobacco Cotton, peanuts, tobacco

And newer commodities like:And newer commodities like: Farm-raised fish and nursery/landscaping Farm-raised fish and nursery/landscaping

productsproducts

Virginia AgricultureVirginia Agriculture

Ag is very important to the economy because Ag is very important to the economy because agriculture and forestry are Virginia’s number agriculture and forestry are Virginia’s number one industries!one industries! Contributes more than $47 billion to the state Contributes more than $47 billion to the state

economy annuallyeconomy annually Represents more than 15% of total employment in Represents more than 15% of total employment in

VA (3 out of 20)VA (3 out of 20)

Top 10 CommoditiesTop 10 Commodities

1. Chickens (broilers)-$506M1. Chickens (broilers)-$506M

2. Beef Cattle- $426M2. Beef Cattle- $426M

3. Milk- $266M3. Milk- $266M

4. Turkeys- $260M4. Turkeys- $260M

5. Greenhouse- $237M5. Greenhouse- $237M

Top 10 CommoditiesTop 10 Commodities

6. Equine- $99M6. Equine- $99M

7. Tomatoes- $98M7. Tomatoes- $98M

8. Soybeans- $86M8. Soybeans- $86M

9. Corn (for grain)- $86M9. Corn (for grain)- $86M

10. Eggs- $71M10. Eggs- $71M

Where are they produced?Where are they produced?Forest and Coal Poultry

Tobacco, Livestock, lumber

Dairy and Veggies

Fruits and Veggies

VA Farm ProfileVA Farm Profile

Average Farmer is 57 years oldAverage Farmer is 57 years old The average size of a farm is 181 acresThe average size of a farm is 181 acres Approximately 14% of VA’s primary farm Approximately 14% of VA’s primary farm

operators are femaleoperators are female There are 47,600 farms in VAThere are 47,600 farms in VA There were twice as many farms in VA in There were twice as many farms in VA in

1960 than there are today1960 than there are today Farms cover 8.6M acres or 34% of VA total Farms cover 8.6M acres or 34% of VA total

land arealand area

VA Farm ProfileVA Farm Profile

VA farms employ more than 48,000 full-time VA farms employ more than 48,000 full-time and part-time workersand part-time workers

About 90% of VA farms are owned and About 90% of VA farms are owned and operated by individuals or familiesoperated by individuals or families

Approximately 34% of VA’s Farmer’s use Approximately 34% of VA’s Farmer’s use computers in their business and 46% have computers in their business and 46% have internet accessinternet access

VA Production Rank NationallyVA Production Rank Nationally

1.1. Broilers – 9Broilers – 9thth

2.2. Beef – 20Beef – 20thth

3.3. Milk – 19Milk – 19thth

4.4. Turkeys – 4Turkeys – 4thth

5.5. Greenhouse – 21Greenhouse – 21stst

6.6. Equine – 5Equine – 5thth

7.7. Tomatoes – 3Tomatoes – 3rdrd

8.8. Soybeans – 19Soybeans – 19thth

9.9. Grain Corn – 23Grain Corn – 23rdrd

10.10. Eggs – 27Eggs – 27thth

Why is Ag important to the US?Why is Ag important to the US?

Why is Ag important to the US?Why is Ag important to the US?

Agriculture is our supplier of food!Agriculture is our supplier of food! We eat 3 billion pizzas annuallyWe eat 3 billion pizzas annually A person consumes 31 pounds of cheese annuallyA person consumes 31 pounds of cheese annually A person drinks 8 gallons of milk annuallyA person drinks 8 gallons of milk annually

This has dramatically decreased from 41 gallons per This has dramatically decreased from 41 gallons per person in 1945person in 1945

Why is Ag important to the US?Why is Ag important to the US?

Largest industry in U.S.Largest industry in U.S. The average farmer feeds 100 peopleThe average farmer feeds 100 people Employs over 24 million peopleEmploys over 24 million people

That’s 17% of the workforceThat’s 17% of the workforce Only 2% of those are “farmers”Only 2% of those are “farmers”

Produces low-cost food because U.S. farmers Produces low-cost food because U.S. farmers are efficientare efficient We spend less than 7.1% of income on foodWe spend less than 7.1% of income on food

How is Ag Important to the World?How is Ag Important to the World?

Food Supply!!!!!Food Supply!!!!! Not all the food we produce in the U.S. is eaten Not all the food we produce in the U.S. is eaten

here, nor do we only eat American grown food!here, nor do we only eat American grown food! Import: products coming into U.S. from an Import: products coming into U.S. from an

outside sourceoutside source Export: products sent out of U.S. to an outside Export: products sent out of U.S. to an outside

sourcesource Some foods are just not economically able to be Some foods are just not economically able to be

grown/made locally, thus why we import food grown/made locally, thus why we import food from other countries!from other countries!

How is Ag Important to the World?How is Ag Important to the World?

Environment – “Care Takers of the Environment – “Care Takers of the Land!”Land!” The erosion rate by water on U.S. crop The erosion rate by water on U.S. crop

lands has been reduced by 32% since lands has been reduced by 32% since 19821982

Increase of farm land turned into wild Increase of farm land turned into wild life habitatslife habitats

How is Ag Important to the How is Ag Important to the World?World?

Environment Cont.Environment Cont. By 2002 1.2 M miles of conservation buffers By 2002 1.2 M miles of conservation buffers

were installed under USDA guidelines and 33.8 were installed under USDA guidelines and 33.8 M acres have been enrolled in Conservation M acres have been enrolled in Conservation Reserve ProgramsReserve Programs

100’s of 1,000’s of trees are planted each year 100’s of 1,000’s of trees are planted each year on farmlandon farmland

Improved tilling process allow less disturbance Improved tilling process allow less disturbance of soilof soil

How is Ag Important to the World?How is Ag Important to the World?

EconomyEconomy Farmers only receive $.19 of every dollar spent on Farmers only receive $.19 of every dollar spent on

food!!! Where does the $.81 go??? In 1980 this food!!! Where does the $.81 go??? In 1980 this amount was $.31amount was $.31

More than 24 million people produce, process and More than 24 million people produce, process and sell agricultural products!sell agricultural products!

More than food!!! (i.e. shampoo, cosmetics, More than food!!! (i.e. shampoo, cosmetics, lotions, toothpaste, paper, ink film, etc.)lotions, toothpaste, paper, ink film, etc.)

How is Ag Important to the World?How is Ag Important to the World?

World TradeWorld Trade Largest commercial industry that is Largest commercial industry that is

worth over 1 trillion dollarsworth over 1 trillion dollarsWe can export more than we import We can export more than we import

(GOOD!)(GOOD!)

How is Ag Important to the How is Ag Important to the World?World?

World Trade Cont.World Trade Cont. We export about $53M worth of products We export about $53M worth of products

but only import $39Mbut only import $39M About 18% of all U.S. agricultural products About 18% of all U.S. agricultural products

are exported every year.are exported every year.99M tons of grains and feed99M tons of grains and feed3.1 M tons of poultry meats3.1 M tons of poultry meats2 M tons of fresh veggies2 M tons of fresh veggies