Modern Commercial Agriculture …According to “The Meatrix”?

How is it possible…?  1950: 12% of U.S. workers were farmers  2015: <1% of U.S. workers are farmers  BUT THE U.S. PRODUCES MORE FOOD THAN EVER

The Third Agricultural Revolution  Began in 19 th Century U.S.  Globalization of industrialized agriculture and new technologies that increased the food supply  Mechanized farming technology  Chemical fertilizers  Farming and food processing done at different sites  Commercial farmers harvest crops then ship to food processing sites to be packaged for marketing and distribution  Food production increasingly “industrialized”  Agribusiness

Agribusiness Includes:  Farms  Processing plants  Packagers  Fertilizer labs  Distributors  Ad agencies Often international

Geographical concentration of poultry production

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! The restructuring of agriculture in the late 20 th century has had important implications for rural land sue and the distribution of poultry production in the U.S. A. List TWO factors that have increased the demand for poultry.  Population increase (national or global)  Health benefits  Safety (mad cow)  Enhanced image of poultry  Availability  Everydayness  No cultural taboos against it  Not too expensive (compared to other meats)

More Poultry B. Briefly describe TWO characteristics of the present economic organization of poultry production in the U.S.  Corporation controls multiple elements of production  Large scale operations  Specialized farms  Industrial manufacturing process C. Describe TWO features of the present geographic distribution of poultry production in the U.S.  Regional concentration  Economically depressed farming areas  Immigrant work force  Low wage rates  Effects of concentration (e.g. environmental concerns)  Proximity to markets or transportation corridors

The Green Revolution  Phase of 3 rd Ag Rev beginning in 1940s  New strains of hybrid seeds  dramatically increased crop output  New seeds require new fertilizer and machinery to maximize yields  Scientists identify the key ingredients in poop: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium  Tractors, irrigation pumps, etc.  Farmers in developing countries can’t afford machinery/fuel  Governments must subsidize in order to maintain green revolution

Sorry Malthus…

Downsides to the Green Revolution?  “Food, Inc. – A Cornucopia of Choices” :16-:25  GMOs in India (3:22) GMOs in India  “The True Cost” :24-:32

Downsides to the Green Revolution  Increased economic inequality in peripheral countries  Reduced need for human labor  Higher-yielding crop strains are more disease- and pest-prone  G.R. pesticides cause pollution and health problems  G.R. crops require more water  strain water resources  Many higher-yielding G.R. crops can’t be grown in Africa (too dry)  Reducing genetic diversity in seeds (monoculture)  G.R. farming more mechanized  pollution

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)  Uses scientific genetic manipulation of crop and animal products to improve agricultural productivity and products  “Super plants” that grow at much faster rates, even in nutrient-poor soils  Pesticides and fertilizers integrated into plant DNA  May be drought-resistant or disease-resistant  “Super chicken” produces more meat at faster rate