1. Introduction to Agribusiness

2. Agribusiness
“The sum total of all business activities involved in the production processing and distribution of agricultural products for the consumer”

3. Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics
Agribusiness is the entire integrated “farm to fork” system.
Agricultural economics is the study of the economic forces that affect agricultural profitability and predict outcomes based on economic principles.

4. Brief History of Agriculture
yrs ago - planting/harvesting
7000 BC - Fertile Crescent , storage
6000 BC - China, group fishing, soybeans
5000 BC - Persian Gulf, irrigation
AD - pumps, rotation, exchange
’s - Seed stock, fertilizer
1900’s - USDA, education, finance
Point: It’s always evolved and always a business

5. Agribusiness is Changing Rapidly
New players
Increasingly complicated
Loss of safety net
Consumer changes

6. David Ricardo
Theory of Competitive Advantage Each (nation) must specialize in the production of goods where it holds a competitive advantage thereby allowing it to trade more at lower prices, creating increased demand, more production, lower prices, increasing income to buy products produced by others more efficiently than by oneself.

7. Free Enterprise
An economic system in which private business operates in competition and largely free of state control.
Businesses sell similar products and services
Because of this, businesses must provide courteous, friendly service to customers

8. Agribusiness Jobs Jobs in Agribusiness Farm appraiser
Agricultural policy analyst
Farm manager
Crop producer
Grain and livestock buyer
Market analyst
Financer
Quality controller
Marketing head
Agricultural accounting
Livestock management
Farming business
Agricultural economics
Agribusiness management
Farm product marketing
Agribusiness international marketing
Agribusiness public policy
Financial agricultural management