AGRICULTURE has changed much

Transcription

1 Trends in Agriculture Part One AGRICULTURE has changed much over the last century, and it will continue to change. Predicting what the future has in store is not easy, but we can look at trends that are now underway. These will give some evidence of future directions. Objectives: 1. Identify current trends in animal agriculture. 2. Identify current trends in plant agriculture. (Courtesy, Agricultural Research Service, USDA) Key Terms: biosecurity cloning genetic engineering integrated pest management integration precision farming remote sensing sustainable agriculture Trends in Animal Agriculture Changes in animal agriculture are intended to produce a quality product more efficiently. These focus on the producer investing fewer resources to produce a larger amount of product. Changes will also occur in the processing methods and other functions carried out in marketing. PRODUCTION STANDARDS Producers are increasingly expected to follow certain production standards. In some cases, these standards have become requirements if the animals are to be readily sold. More standards Page 1 AgEdLibrary.com

2 will likely have impact on producers in the future. Producers who do not follow the standards may not have the traditional markets available. The goal of the standards is to assure consumers a high-quality product. One example of standards is the Pork Producer Code of Practice. Developed by the National Pork Board, the code of practice is intended to provide guidance in managing and caring for swine. More information about pork production standards is available from the National Pork Board ( FIGURE 1. Main entrance to the U.S. Department of Agriculture facilities in Washington, DC. (Courtesy, U.S. Department of Agriculture) BIOSECURITY Biosecurity is the use of management and production practices that assure quality products. A major thrust is to prevent the introduction of harmful substances or actions into the production environment. Major emphasis on biosecurity has occurred following the increase of terrorism in the early twenty-first century. Levels of biosecurity have been developed. These are based on the entry of people and animals into an animal production unit. Restricting entry into an animal production situation is an important step in the process. New animals should be isolated, vehicles disinfected, and steps taken to assure that people do not transfer harmful agents from one farm to another. Increased attention will be given to biosecurity in the future. INTEGRATION Integration is an approach to producing animal products that brings together various production and marketing practices. In the past, such practices were carried out separately. Poultry production is a good example of an industry that is now integrated. Large integrators own feed mills, contract with growers, own processing plants, and carry out distribution and marketing functions. In addition, integrators provide instruction to growers in how to produce quality birds. Only a few poultry integrators now exist in the United States, with Tyson, Fieldale Farms, and Sanderson Farms being three examples. Without a contract with an integrator, a producer would likely have little or no market opportunity for poultry. Other areas of animal agriculture are moving in the direction of integration. Considerable integration is already underway in pork production. Aquaculture, particularly catfish produc- Page 2 AgEdLibrary.com

3 HELP WANTED CAREER CONNECTION: Meat Inspector ON THE JOB Meat inspectors examine meat for safety as a food product. They note the presence of disease or injury that may make the meat unsafe to eat. If they find such a condition, the product may be condemned and removed from human food production. Most meat inspectors have some college education. On-the-job training is used to develop the skills needed for their work. The work is carried out in meat processing plants. This meat inspector is examining a wholesale cut of beef. (Courtesy, U.S. Department of Agriculture) tion, is highly integrated. Beef may increasingly use contracts between processors, feedlots, and producers. ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is being prepared for implementation in the United States. The system is identifying all premises or farms where animals are produced. With larger animals, such as cattle, individual animal identification practices will be implemented. One approach in animal identification has been researched for several years by Allflex USA. Each animal has a specification number on a tag that can be scanned into a computer system. Rapid access and ease of use are important in animal identification. Smaller nonfood animals may be identified with microchips or other devices. GENETICALLY ENHANCED ANIMALS Many improvements in animals have been made using traditional methods of breeding and selection. With the emergence of biotechnology, greater progress will be made more rapidly. Much of the work is new and unproven, but rapid research is moving toward greater application in animal improvement. A major effort is underway in decoding the DNA of animals. Some animals have already had their DNA decoded, but most have not. Those whose DNA has been decoded include chickens, rats and mice, chimpanzees, dogs, and humans. With DNA information, animals can be selected to resist disease and have other desired features, Page 3 AgEdLibrary.com

4 such as compatibility in production environments. Genetic engineering is the process of artificially altering the genetic information in an organism. Genes can be transferred and otherwise moved about to achieve desired goals. PRODUCT SAFETY Increasingly, steps are being taken to assure the safety of animal products to the consumer. With animal identification, the producer will be traceable to the consumer. Some people refer to this as farm to fork technology. Inspection, packaging, processing methods, and other conditions will change to provide wholesome products to the consumer. Trends in Plant Agriculture Just as important changes have influenced how plants are produced today, changes are now underway that will influence future production practices as well as marketing. These will focus on more efficient production to meet the needs of increasing numbers of people for quality plant products. Several trends merit discussion. REMOTE SENSING AND MANAGEMENT Information will have a greater role in future plant production. Remote sensing, the gathering and recording of information from a distance, will become increasingly important. Information about pests, need for irrigation, and other factors associated with plant productivity can be gathered by satellite systems and used in applying production factors. This will be in addition to the huge benefits offered by precision farming. Precision farming is the use of practices needed on specific land based on its condition or other factors. Global positioning and geographic information systems, along with variable-rate application equipment, will be useful on some farms and other locations, including golf courses. SUSTAINABILITY Crop production practices will be used that are a part of sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is the use of practices that allow food, clothing, and shelter products to be produced indefinitely. Natural resources, such as soil and water, are being FIGURE 2. Examining crops for the presence of insects helps make wise decisions about the use of pesticides. (Courtesy, U.S. Department of Agriculture) Page 4 AgEdLibrary.com

5 FURTHER EXPLORATION ONLINE CONNECTION: Pork Quality Assurance Investigate the Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) program advocated by the National Pork Board. Determine the major provisions of the program as related to the role of a producer. Review the education programs available for the producer. Prepare a short report on your findings. Use this Web site to begin your investigation: wisely used so that the ability to provide for the needs of future generations will not be lost. Much work on sustainable agriculture has been done, but more practices will be implemented. A part of sustainable agriculture is integrated pest management (IPM), the use of crop protection methods that have the best overall outcome for society. Pests are managed without the widespread use of pesticides, though pesticides may be used when the pest population poses a severe threat to a crop. Physical, biological, and chemical methods of pest management are used. The use of IPM will continue because of increasing concern about the role of some pesticides in degrading the environment. REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES Cloning and other reproductive technologies have made greater progress with animals than with plants. Cloning is the process of asexually reproducing organisms. No union of a male sex cell with a female sex cell has occurred. Just a few cells are used to create a new organism. Some forms of cloning have been used for many years, such as grafting and rooting cuttings. A number of crops, particularly those in horticulture, are being propagated by cloning. BIOTECHNOLOGY Increasingly, plants will be improved through biotechnology. Genetic engineering will be used to assure plants with certain benefits. These plants will be known as genetically modified organisms (GMO) and genetically enhanced organisms (GEO). Many major crops are now planted with seeds that have been genetically enhanced. This assures benefits, such as the ability to use pesticides without damage to a crop plant, as with Roundup-Ready soybeans. Genetic engineering methods were used to create these soybeans. More crop and ornamental plants will be genetically enhanced in the years ahead to gain the desired product outcomes. LARGER FARM UNITS AND FEWER FARMS Commercial farms of the future will be larger, though some small farms will remain, such as those producing organic products for niche markets. Hobby or part-time farms will continue, but the volume produced will not approach that of the commercial farms. For purposes Page 5 AgEdLibrary.com

6 of study, the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a farm as a place with sales of $1,000 or more in agricultural products each year. The average size of farms in the United States is 443 acres. The number of farms will continue to decrease. In 1985, there were 2,293,000 farms. By 2005, the number had decreased to fewer than 2 million. The rate of decrease may decline. Agricultural productivity will continue to increase. Changes in size and number of farms are occurring because of the need for a farm family to have income that provides an adequate standard of living. Family farms appear to be disappearing. Larger farms use greater technology, need less labor, and hire the work done. Of course, regional and crop differences exist. Summary: Both animal and plant agriculture are continually experiencing change. Most changes take several years to get fully in place and become routine. With animal agriculture, production standards, biosecurity, integration, animal identification, genetically enhanced animals, and product safety are trends underway that will carry into the future. Trends in plant agriculture include remote sensing and management, sustainability, reproductive technologies, biotechnology, and larger farm units and fewer farms. Checking Your Knowledge: 1. List six trends in animal production and explain one of the trends. 2. List five trends in plant production and explain one of the trends. Expanding Your Knowledge: Use print media and/or the Internet to read and learn more about the major uses of animal and plant products in meeting human needs. Prepare a brief report. Web Links: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (animal identification system) Beef Quality Assurance Agricultural Career Profiles Page 6 AgEdLibrary.com