Numbers
Approximately what fraction of the Earth's surface is considered arable land suitable for crop production?
1/32
What are the three primary categories of agricultural commodities?
Food, Fiber, Natural Resources
What major societal changes did settled agriculture help develop?
Governments, property rights, villages and cities, commerce and water control systems
What is sharecropping as described in the document?
A system where landowners provide land and receive a portion of the crop yield
Who invented the cotton gin in 1793?
Eli Whitney
In some developing countries, what proportion of the population is employed in agriculture?
Up to 50%
What is a Producer
Someone actively involved in producing raw agricultural products
What is domestication?
Changing plants or animals from wild forms into forms useful to humans through specific changes
Which U.S. law allocated land to support agricultural education at state universities?
The Morrill Act
Which invention is Joseph Glidden known for?
Barbed wire
Agriculture accounts for approximately what percentage of global trade?
10%
What are the three main drivers for the future of agriculture?
Population growth, consumer demand, and sustainability
What is precision agriculture?
Using computer and satellite information to manage agricultural land precisely
Which legislation provided federal funding for high school agricultural programs?
The Smith-Hughes Act
Who is credited with inventing the mechanical reaper in 1837?
Cyrus McCormick
Roughly how much is the United States' annual export value of agricultural products?
140 Billion
Which field involves designing and building machines and power systems used in agriculture?
Engineering
What is the projected world population by 2050?
About 9.6 billion
What is the main aim of sustainable agriculture?
To protect the environment while allowing land to remain productive for many years
When did the Dust Bowl occur in the United States?
1930–1936
Approximately what percentage of U.S. land is used as cropland according to the document?
18%
Why is consumer awareness emphasized?
So buyers can make informed choices about product origin and production methods
What trend is associated with industrialization and the agricultural workforce?
As a country industrializes, the share of its labor force in agriculture typically declines
What are agricultural information systems used for?
Collecting, processing, and distributing data via software and devices
What period is associated with the Green Revolution that increased agricultural production through technology?
1940s–1960s