Agriculture, Environment and Society Introduction

A Chinese Proverb The well being of a people is like a tree. Agriculture is its root, Manufacture and commerce are its branches and its leaves. If the root is injured, the leaves fall, the branches break away, And the tree dies.

Agriculture and Society 1. Hunters-gatherers turned to agriculture only as a last resort when population pressure decreed it. 2. Humans were hunter-gatherers for over 99% of their existence. 3. Man began practicing elementary agriculture around 10,000 years ago. 4. Civilization was spawned by agriculture. 5. Agriculture leads to increasing populations. 6. Increasing population lead to increased agriculture.

Agriculture and the Environment 1. Agriculture has led to environmental degradation. 2. While hunting-gathering entails minimal environmental disruption…agriculture impacts the environment greatly. 3. American agriculture requires 2.6% of the nation’s energy budget…consumer of 8% of the nation’s oil. 4. A minimum 4% annual world increase in food production is necessary to feed the present world population.

Assignment for Lecture 2 Look in the newspaper, the internet, a magazine or some other source of information and bring an article for discussion that involves Agriculture and its impact on Society and/or the Environment. Alternative…an article on some specific ag issue. Look in the newspaper, the internet, a magazine or some other source of information and bring an article for discussion that involves Agriculture and its impact on Society and/or the Environment. Alternative…an article on some specific ag issue. 2 nd question…search the internet to find how much farmland is in California and how much of California’s water is used by agriculture 2 nd question…search the internet to find how much farmland is in California and how much of California’s water is used by agriculture Read How it all began… Read How it all began…

Define Agriculture… The science, art, and the business of cultivating the soil, producing crops for food and fiber, and raising livestock; farming.

Agribusiness… Farming engaged in as a large- scale business operation embracing the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products and the manufacture of farm machinery, equipment and supplies. Farming engaged in as a large- scale business operation embracing the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products and the manufacture of farm machinery, equipment and supplies.

Environment… I.The circumstances or conditions that surround one; surroundings. II.The totality of circumstances surrounding an organism or a group of organisms. A. The combination of external physical conditions that affect and influence the growth, development, and survival of organisms. B. The complex of social and cultural conditions affecting the nature of an individual or a community.

Ecology… I.Study of the interrelationships that occur between organisms and the environment. II.The science dealing with relationships of plants and animals to their environment and to the site factors that operates in controlling their distribution and growth.

Concept of Human Ecology The inevitable crowding of organisms upon limited resources produces a complex interaction of organism with organism and of organism with environment in the course of which individuals adjust to one another in ways conducive to a more effective utilization of the habitat. (Hawley, 1966) The inevitable crowding of organisms upon limited resources produces a complex interaction of organism with organism and of organism with environment in the course of which individuals adjust to one another in ways conducive to a more effective utilization of the habitat. (Hawley, 1966) Break this down and analyze each part of this statement… Break this down and analyze each part of this statement…

End of Lecture number…hooray! End of Lecture number…hooray! Next…The history of Agriculture Next…The history of Agriculture