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• The word agriculture is derived from the Latin words meaning "cultivation of the soil" and encompasses the production of food, fiber, feed and other resources by raising plants and animals on a continual basis.Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Agriculture

• Fast Facts

  1. Also known as farming
  2. Includes large, corporate farms, smaller family farms and subsistence farmersEPA: Demographics
  3. Six most important crops: rice, corn, wheat, soybeans, barley and sorghumThe Independent: World's most important crops hit by global warming effects (March 19, 2007)
  4. Most widely grown crop in U.S. is cornEPA: Major Crops Grown in the United States
  5. Largest agricultural output: ChinaUSDA Amber Waves magazine: Who Will China Feed? (June, 2008)

• Agriculture and Ecology

  In recent years there has been a trend towards farming practices that are more in balance with the environment. Organic farming, farming without the use of man-made pesticides or fertilizers, is a common example. Other ecologically-based farming practices include crop rotation, water and energy conservation, biodynamic farming, and sustainable farming.Institute for Science in Society: Saving the World with Biodynamic Farming University of Michigan News Service: Organic farming can feed the world, U-M study shows (July 10, 2007)

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Horticulture | Organic Farming | How to Save Money on Food | How to Save Money on Groceries | Tom Vilsack | How to Get Rid of Aphids

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