Introduction – Choosing an occupation can be based on a number of factors including personal interests, educational attainment, or family tradition. Farming is a profession that has existed for many years in practically every country in the world. It is required to produce commodities that are needed for human consumption such as meats, vegetables, and animal by products like dairy and eggs. The U.S. Census describes a farm as any establishment which produced and sold, or normally would have produced and sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the year. The Census states that there are over 2.2 million farms in the United States. In spite of the predominance of family farms, there is strong evidence of a trend toward …show more content…
Despite there being over 313,000,000 people living in the United States, there are less than 1% who claim farming as an occupation (and about 2% actually live on farms). In 2007, only 45% of farmers claimed farming as their principal occupation and a similar number of farmers claiming some other principal occupation. The growing population will require more people to pursue a career in farming to meet the demand of agricultural products. Like other occupations, farming requires a level of skill and financial capital before one can begin to start an operation. Educational Issue – The majority of farms in the U.S. are owned and operated by individuals or families with the rest being either partnerships or corporate farms. Many farm families have formed modest-sized corporations to take advantage of legal and accounting benefits of that type of business enterprise. One reason for this business organization is that farm production expenses average $109,359 per year per farm. The high operating expenses of a farm make it very difficult to produce enough income to meet living expenses. In fact, less than 1 in 4 of the farms in this country produce gross revenues in excess of $50,000. Much like the manufacturing field, the U.S. farm population has declined and the average age of farmers continues to rise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about sixty percent of the farmers in the
The three farmers whom this paper has taken a look at are all interesting, they face their own problems, many of which are different, yet so very similar. The film "Farmland" is a phenomenal way to get the story of agriculture out and start eliminating the farming stereotype. "Farmland" is a wonderful film, with a ninety-two percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Whether they are facing the weather, working on their own, or working with bad crops for their animals, they will
Former president George Washington once said, “Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man,” (George Washington Quote). Since Washington’s presidency, countless advancements and developments within the agricultural industry have allowed the United States to grow, develop, and become one of the most prosperous countries in the entire world. Nevertheless, this prosperity is also marked by several key historical events, such as the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions, which have caused the core values and traditions that this great nation was built on to slowly disappear. Today, the majority of Americans have no knowledge, understanding, or appreciation for the agricultural industry, causing them to take for granted the basic necessities they rely on each day. This disconnection has created a gap between producers and consumers, which is known as
"I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words, but of deeds." These famous words from "The FFA Creed" by E.M. Tiffany outline the basic beliefs of FFA members and agriculturists around the world. But these values, although crucial to the sustaining of our world's ever-increasing population, are growing more and more detached from the people not involved in agriculture. Although food and fiber production has increased in recent years, providing more bushels per acre and more meat per head of cattle, the agriculture industry has come under fire due to an overwhelming majority of people being totally disconnected from the agriculture industry. Today, we'll examine the primary causes of this disconnect, the negative effects on agriculture and our society as a whole that results from it, and how you can help solve this ever-growing problem.
Over the years agriculture has nearly diminished from the workforce. Why is this happening? In fact, ever since the Industrial Revolution’s promises of “big city success” agriculture has taken a hit. Agriculture has been a foundation for the infrastructure of the United States since it’s creation. Agricultural careers are a necessity for the nation. It is important through the history, from whom it affects, the effects on the environment and people, and to find a solution to the loss of this core element.
This article written in the Texas Agriculture, a magazine published by the Texas Farm Bureau, is about all the factors impacting farmers that effect their income. Over the past couple years, a combination of things has caused the average Texas farmers income to drop. The primary audience for this article is the farmers in Texas as they are experiencing these issues first hand. The secondary audience would be consumers who have noticed price fluctuations in products at the store and are wondering the reason.
Following the Civil War, a second industrial revolution in America brought many changes to the nation’s agriculture sector. The new technologies that were created transformed how farmers worked and the way in which the sector functioned. Agriculture expanded and became more industrial. Meanwhile government policies, or lack of them for a while, and hard economic conditions put difficult strains on farmers and their occupation. These changes in technology, economic conditions, and government policy from 1865 to 1900 transformed and improved agriculture while leaving farmers in hardship.
The agriculture industry is not only the largest industry within our state, but also within our nation. However, in recent years it has also been one of the most heavily criticized. This has led to a ‘brain drain’ in rural America as more people decide to leave our industry and their family farms.
In the late nineteenth century, many American farmers were experiencing economic insecurity. There were various factors that contributed to why farmers were facing financial hardships in this particular time frame. The fundamental factors were the commercialization, overproduction, and mechanization of agriculture. These factors are by no means all of the driving forces that lead to this time of financial insecurity, but they are large contributors to say the least. After the Civil War, subsistence farming was gradually morphing into commercialized farming. Instead of farming to support oneself or one's family at a minimum level, farmers began leaning towards making large profit off of their crops.
Over the last 90 years the American farming industry has changed drastically in terms of farming techniques, advanced machinery, government farming policies, and chemical inputs. These developments have revolutionized the agriculture industry but every adjustment can bring about both positive and negative ramifications. Author and historian Paul K. Conkin gives a detailed account of the transformative years of early American farm life spanning from the early 20th century into the 21st century when increasing food prices rocked the nation and the early farm laborers struggled to keep up with the changing industry demands. Farmers faced hardships during The Great Depression which then fueled necessary changes in legislation that secured a farmer’s
The agricultural sector in the United States is a significant contributor to the economy. The agricultural sector depends on manual labor that is provided by farm-workers who are involved in harvesting, planting, plants processing, houses packing and facilities preparation that are connected to farming (Bruhn 79). Most of the farm-workers are Latin American migrants and minor representations from other regions. Migrant farm-workers in America are a representation of one group that exists among the most marginalized and less served population in the state. A migrant farm worker is described as a person whose primary employment lies in the agricultural sector on a recurring basis and exists in houses that are temporary. In America currently,
Growing up on a small family wheat farm in southwestern Oklahoma, I have experienced the harsh conditions of farming firsthand. The job that used to employ the largest amount of people in the United States has lost the support and the respect of the American people. The Jeffersonian Ideal of a nation of farmers has been tossed aside to be replaced by a nation of white-collar workers. The family farm is under attack and it is not being protected. The family farm can help the United States economically by creating jobs in a time when many cannot afford the food in the stores. The family farm can help prevent the degradation of the environment by creating a mutually beneficial relationship between the people producing the food and nature. The family farm is the answer to many of the tough questions facing the United States today, but these small farms are going bankrupt all too often. The government’s policy on farming is the largest factor in what farms succeed, but simple economics, large corporations, and society as a whole influence the decline in family farms; small changes in these areas will help break up the huge corporate farms, keeping the small family farm afloat.
The world of agricultural isn’t just a world of corn and cows, though. Working in an agricultural job could mean that you live in a city and spend your time in a research facility or creating laws just as much as it could mean that your daily “suit” is a pair of overalls. One type of job is not more important than the other.
When we mention about farm, most of us have this image of a vast green pasture where farmers spend most of their time herding livestock but that idyllic picture is just a thing from the past. Since the 1930s in America, small farms started to wither away, made way to bigger and highly mechanized factory farms. It all traced back to McDonalds and the booming of fast food restaurants (Food, Inc 2008). Fast food restaurants had become successful because they could produce tasty food with cheaper cost. Their franchises eventually made them a multi-million-dollars industry. Big business required big suppliers. Small rural farms cannot meet the demand for supply and they quickly fade away. Farmers were being replaced by corporations in
The agriculture field is one of the biggest employers, employing over 155 million people in the United States. What do you think about when you hear the word “agriculture?” Many people would say farming, but this is not the most common occupation in this field. Farmers make up a fraction of the agricultural jobs at 900,000, but over 2.1 million people own, rent, and claim farming as a primary source of income. The average farm size has dropped from 460 acres in 1990 to 418 acres in 2007, while the average age of this occupation rose to 57, making this one of the older workforces in the United States.
The Agriculture sector has changed monumentally over the past century in response to vast economic change and technological advancements. Farm subsidies are various forms of payments from the federal government put in place in an effort to stabilize prices, keep farmers in business, and ensure quality of crops. The federal government currently pays $20 billion in cash each year to US farmers and spent an estimated $250 billion between 1995-2005. Presently, a new farm bill is passed every five years