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From Moon Farming to Satellite

Farming

The Evolution of Scientific


Agriculture
Moon Farming
● “There was a time when farmers planted by
the phases of the moon and harvested about
a third or less of the yield they to today – if
they didn’t lose the crops to weeds, insects,
and weather”
(Prow, 1994, p. 23).
Light of the Moon
Waxing Moon

Dark of the Moon


Waning Moon
Farming by the Moon
● Light of the Moon ● Dark of the Moon
● Prepare the soil ● Cultivate
● Plants crops that grow ● Plant crops the grow
above ground
below ground
● 1st Quarter - Plants that
produce seed outside the
● Don’t plant in the 4th
fruit quarter of the moon
● 2nd Quarter - Plants that ● Harvest crops
produce seed inside the ● Dig Postholes
fruit
American Agriculture
300

250 Farmers %
People Fed
200

150

100

50

0
1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
What Led to the Dramatic
Increase in Productivity?
● Was it a more complete understanding
of moon farming or
● Was it the evolution of agricultural
sciences?
The Top Ten Developments in
Agricultural Sciences During the
Past 100 Years

With apologies to Letterman


10. Federal Legislation
Establishing Educational
Programs

Especially the Hatch Act,


Smith-Hughes and Smith-Lever Acts
Educational Legislation
● The Hatch Act of 1887 called for two
things:
● Development of Agricultural Experiment
Stations
● Dissemination of agricultural knowledge
● The experiment stations really didn’t hit full
stride until the 1900s
Educational Legislation
● Smith-Lever Act of 1914
● Provided federal funding to support the
Cooperative Extension Service
● Non-Formal Instruction was provided for:
● Farmers
● Homemakers
● Youth
● 4-H followed shortly thereafter
Extension
ExtensionActivities
Activities
Educational Legislation
● Smith-Hughes Act of 1917
● Provided federal funding to support the
teaching of agriculture in the public schools
● Instruction was provided to both:
● School Age Students
● Adult Farmers
● FFA followed shortly thereafter
Agricultural
Agricultural
Education
Education
Activities
Activities
Educational Legislation
● The instruction by the agriculture teacher
and the work of the extension agent did
much to improve agriculture all across
North Carolina and the nation.
● The FFA and 4-H programs developed
leadership in rural youth and promoted the
application of agricultural knowledge.
The Problem
guess work, random efforts [and] ‘cut and
try’ methods that characterize the practice
of most farmers constituted waste of time
and strength and substance.

William R. Taylor,
President, Wisconsin
Agricultural Convention, 1873
Another Problem
● Artificial manures (commercial fertilizers)
were being sold
● Many mixtures were fakes
● Farmers were being cheated
● Something needed to be done to
protect the farmer
Hatch Act -1887
States were to:
● Disseminate agricultural information

● Establish agricultural experiment

stations
● Each state was initially given

$15,000
The First Station
● Connecticut - 1875
The Southern Stations
● Often involved controversy
● location
● should there be branch stations
● Several were coupled with a congressional
district agricultural school
The Southern Stations
● Early research efforts:
● Fertilizers (most states)
● Glanders in horses (Texas, Arkansas)
● Strawberries (Arkansas)
● Tobacco (Kentucky)
● Feeding cottonseed meal (Mississippi, Arkansas)
● Roughages (Mississippi)
● Tick Fever (Texas)
Other Federal Legislation
Supporting Agricultural Research
● Adams Act - 1906
● Purnell Act - 1925
● Bankhead-Jones Act - 1935
● Farm Bills more recently
Agricultural Experiment Stations
● Even though the stations were established in
the late 1800s, they would have a major
impact on the evolution of agricultural
sciences during the 1900s.
9. Crop Hybridization

Especially corn
Average Corn Yields
140
120
100
80
Bushels
60
40
20
0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
Corn Hybridization
● Donald Jones - Connecticut Agricultural
Experiment Station - 1919
● Developed a double-cross hybrid corn
● Hi-Bred Corn Company founded - 1926
● Sold the Cooper Cross Hybrid

Hybrid Corn
Hybrid Corn has
has resulted
resulted in
in aa 1.2
1.2
bushel increase
bushel increase in
in yield
yield every
every yearyear
since its
since its development.
development.
Wheat Breeding
● Similar gains were made with wheat
breeding in the early 1900s
8. Internal Combustion Gasoline
Powered Tractor
● At the turn of the century farm labor
was supplied primarily by humans
and horses.
The Steam Tractor
● In the early 1900s
steam tractors
provided power on the
farm but required a
crew to operate. Steam
tractors were not in
widespread use.
First Gasoline Tractors
● In the early 1900s gasoline powered tractors
were available but were not in widespread
use. They were not “farmer friendly.” They
will still modeled after the steam tractors.
The Breakthrough Tractor
● In 1925 the first
high wheeled, row
straddling Farmall
was introduced.
● When the pneumatic
tire was introduced
in 1930, tractors
became even more
attractive.
Tractor Accessories
● Bigger Plows
● Corn Pickers
● Combines
● Hay Balers
● Cotton Pickers
Growth in Tractor Numbers
6000

5000

4000
Tractors (in
3000
thousands
2000

1000

0
1925
1930

1940
1945
1950
1910
1915
1920

1935

1955
1960
1965
Reduction in Farm Labor
7. Farm Credit
Farm Credit
● A variety of federal policies and laws led to
the development of a system of farm credit.
● Federal Credit Administration – 1916 & 1932
● Federal Land Bank – provide low interest loans to
farmers to buy land
● Production Credit Associations – 1933
● Provided low interest loans to farmers for farming
operations
6. Soil Conservation Service
Soil Conservation
● During the early part of the 1900s,
especially during the 1930s, soil was
eroding at an alarming rate in the south.
● It was blowing away in the Midwest and
West.
● The establishment of the Soil Conservation
Service in 1933 was a major milestone in
saving our soil.
5. Artificial Insemination (AI)

I don’t like
that idea
“No major
“No major development
development in in
modern agriculture,
modern agriculture, with
with the
the
exception of
exception of hybrid
hybrid corn,
corn, has
has
been accepted
been accepted and
and has
has advanced
advanced
more rapidly
more rapidly than
than AI”
AI”
Harry Herman,
Harry Herman, 1981
1981
AI is not new
● Arabians used it with horses in the middle
ages
● In the 1780s Spallanazani was using it with
dogs in Italy
● Much of the initial work with dairy cows
was done in the 1930s in New
Jersey and Minnesota
AI in Dairy Cows
7000000
6000000
5000000
4000000
Cows Bred
3000000
2000000
1000000
0
1939 1949 1959
Today
● Majority of dairy cows are bred using AI
● Used extensively in swine and poultry
● Major gains in feed efficiency, milk
production, average daily gain, etc. can be
attributed to selective breeding through AI.
4. Rural Electrification

● By 1930, 70% of the urban population had


electricity.
● By 1930, 10%
____ of the rural
population had electricity.
4. Rural Electrification
● The Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was
created in 1935
● Magazines like the "Electric Farmer" and “Electricity on
the Farm” published articles with hints about using the
new power for farmwork and housework.
● Dairy farmers learned how electric milking machines would
increase the speed of their work.
● Farm wives learned how electric stoves, washers, and water
heaters could improve their home.
● Electric pumps also made indoor plumbing a reality for farm
families.
A Poem
● Electricity is a servant, make it work for you.
Then baking days won't be so hot, or washdays be so blue.
Your cows will be contented, with a milker fine and bright.
The kids will like the music, from the radio at night.
Your feed will be ground easily, your babychicks kept warm.
The whole family will be happy, with electricity on the farm.
--Author Unknown
"The greatest thing on
earth is to have the love
of God in your heart,
and the next greatest
thing is to have
electricity in your
house.“
A Tennessee Farmer in
the 1940s
● By 1950, 93% of
farms had
electricity.
3. Agricultural Chemicals
“A revolution
“A revolution was
was taking
taking place
place
[1933-1970] in
[1933-1970] in the
the biological
biological
and chemical
and chemical technologies
technologies
employed on
employed on American
American Farms”
Farms”

William Cochrane,
William Cochrane, 1979
1979
Pesticides
● DDT was developed in Switzerland in 1939
● Came to the US in 1942
● Controlled a wider range of insects than any known
insecticide
● DDT could be dusted, sprayed or dipped
● Other hydrocarbon insecticides followed:
● Chlordane (1945
● Aldrin (1948)
● Dieldrin (1948)
● Heptachlor (1948)
Herbicides
● Chemical warfare research
led to the development of:
● 2,4-D (1942)
● 2,4,5-T (1945)
● After 1945 back-breaking
hoeing and the need for
extensive cultivation diminished
Pesticide Use
700 660
Herbicides
600 Insecticides
510 Fungicides
500 Other

400

300 268

185
200 132
80 70 70
100

Source: Bohmont, B. 1996. A Standard Pesticide User’s Guide. Prentice Hall. NJ. p. 8..
0
A g r ic u ltu r e T o ta l
Fertilizers
● Anhydrous Ammonia emerged after WWII
● It was cheap and took little labor to apply
● The amount of nitrogen (and potash)
applied to crops between 1940 and 1970
increased 20X
“The greatest
“The greatest source
source of
of increasing
increasing
yields per
yields per acre
acre during
during this
this period
period
[1933-1970] was
[1933-1970] was the
the increased
increased use
use
of commercial
of commercial fertilizers”
fertilizers”
William Cochrane,
William Cochrane, 1979
1979
2. Biotechnology
Biotechnology
● Manipulation of organisms for human
purposes
● 1890s - lady bird beetles were introduced in
California to control cottony-cushion scale
● 1940s - Milky white disease to control Japanese
beetles
Modern Successes
● Screwworm
● Fly lays eggs on animal wounds
● emerging larva feed on the host animal
● Females only breed once
● Sterilize males through radiation
● Release sterilized males in infested areas
● By 1966 screwworn flies in the US were bred
out of existence
Other Examples
● Artificial Pheromones
● attracts insects to baits
● disrupts sex life
● draws insects away from crops
● Parasitic wasps
● Biopesticides
DNA
● DNA was first discovered in 1869
● 1953 - Watson and Crick
discovered the structure of DNA
● 1970s on - splicing genes, removing genes,
gene manipulation
Genetic Engineering
● Herbicide tolerant plants
● Insect resistant plants
● Vegetables and fruits with improved flavor,
longer shelf life, later ripening
● Pharmaceutical producing plants
● Livestock cloning
1.
Development
of Computers
Computers
● In 1983 Time Magazine named the
Computer “Man of the Year”
● Computers have had a major impact on how
agricultural scientist do their work.
The tip of the iceberg
● Remote sensing
● Automation of agricultural processes
● Development of economic models
● Simulations
● Dairy herd improvement
● Produce grading
● Marketing
● Statistical analysis…and the list goes on
The Next 100 Years

The Top Ten Innovations and Issues


1. GPS (Satellite Farming)

Image from Dr. Steven Searcy (Texas A&M)


GPS and GIS
● The Global Positioning System
(GPS) is a worldwide radio-navigation system formed
from a constellation of 24 satellites and their ground
stations.
● Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a system for
capturing, storing, checking, integrating, manipulating,
analyzing and displaying data which are spatially
referenced to the Earth.
Precision Farming
● On-the-go sensors, yield monitors, and
geographically referenced databases are used to
control:
● seeding
● fertilizer application
● herbicide application
● In theory each square yard of a
field can be managed according
to it’s unique characteristics

● Precision farming
Precision farming technologies
technologies
could revolutionize
could revolutionize agriculture
agriculture

National Research
National Research Council
Council
2. Nutrigenomics
● Your personal genetic code will be
computer generated in a matter of hours.
● Specialized diets will be formulated to
combat the diseases your are genetically
programmed to experience.
3. Communications
● Iridium
● World Wide Low Level Satellite System
● Motorola - Primary Owner (but this division of
Motorola went belly up and the Iridium system
was sold)
● Operational - Sept. 1998
● Cellular Capable
Iridium Implications
● Instant communications
anyplace in the world
● Developing nations will not have to invest in
communications infrastructure
● No inaccessible areas, Rural folks not left
behind
Iridium Implications
● True “World Wide”
World Wide Web Access
● Disaster relief
● More Productive
Business Travel
4. Organic Farming
● Organic cropland has grown 20% over the
past 10 years
● It will continue to grow
5. Miniaturization
● Miniature TV cameras will be everywhere
● Crime is down substantially in Monaco today
because miniature cameras have been installed
in public areas
● Everything on a farm can be monitered with
miniature cameras
6. Farmaceuticals
● Farmers will grow crops that cure cancer
● 74 of the known forms of cancers will be cured
● Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG)
controls cancer.
6. Farmaceuticals
● With gene stacking technology it may be
possible to insert the human chorionic
gonadotrophin gene into corn or another
plant
6. Farmaceuticals
● With this technology the phytic acid gene
has been removed from soybeans so it may
be possible to insert HCG into a crop.
7. Information Explosion
Amount of knowledge today

Amount of knowledge in 13 years


(64X)
7. Information Explosion
● 14,000 new journal articles every week
● Web content doubles every 90 days
8. Societal Divergence
● Haves vs. Have-Nots
● We (my generation) will inherit 11 trillion
dollars from our parents
● Brand Names important
● Nike returns 46 cents for each dollar invested
● Walmart vs. Belks
8. Societal Divergence

● Family Income - Computers


● $10,000 - 10%
● $20,000 - 20%
● $30,000 - 30%
● etc….
● $70,000 - 70%
8. Societal Divergence
Earnings Gap (males)
1969 to 1989 (constant dollars)

High Skill
Low Skill

-30 -20 -10 0 10 20


8. Societial Divergence
● Hispanic birthrate 75% higher than that of
whites
8. Societal Divergence
50
45
40
P
e 35
r 30
c 25
e 20
n
15
t
10
5
0
New York California Texas Florida

Students of Color, K-12


9. Agritourism
● To survive farmers will need to turn to
agritourism and farm entertainment
● Corn Maze
● Hay rides
● Hunting
● Fishing
10. RFID
● RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification)
● Miniscule microchips, which already have
shrunk to half the size of a grain of sand.
● They listen for a radio query and respond
by transmitting their unique ID code. Most
RFID tags have no batteries: They use the
power from the initial radio signal to
transmit their response.
RFID
● Cattle will be traced from birth to market
with RFID.
● Consumers can pick up a package of ground
beef, scan it, and see a picture of the animal
it came from, the farmer who raised, and the
entire life story of the animal.
11. Women Will Rule the World
● Women are starting businesses 9 times
faster than men
● The majority of new businesses are small -
this is where the growth is
11. Women Will Rule the World
I ncrease in Workforce, 1970-2005
50

40

30

20

10

0
1970 1980 1990 2005
11. Women Will Rule the World
I ncrease in College Attendance, 1970-85

100

80

60

40

20

0
Women Men
11. Women Will Rule the World
I ncrease in Female Work Place
Participation, 1990-2005
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Asian Hispanic Black White
11. Women Will Rule the World
Percent of Work-Age Females Working,
2005
100

80

60

40

20

0
Asian Hispanic Black White
12. Some other predictions
● Water Wars - Water will be the major issue of the
21st Century
● There will be crops that detect land mines
● Biotech markers for solders to prevent friendly
fire deaths
● Glow in the Dark Pumpkins
● Identify the luminescence gene in fish that live deep in
the ocean, transfer that gene to pumpkins, and voila –
glow in the dark pumpkins.

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