1. Trends Affecting Modern Agriculture

2. Introduction Farming and ranching isn’t just a lifestyle, it is a business. As a business, agriculture is affected by unique trends and social changes in addition to the other challenges of traditional business.

3. POPULATION GROWTH AND MOVEMENT Farmers and ranchers must make decisions to address the growing population and how to feed it. Challenges include less land and resources like water to farm. For many farmers, it is more profitable to sell out to land developers for housing than to keep farming the land. URBAN SPRAWL: growing cities encroach on farmland, making it more difficult to produce food. The public does not always understand that flies, smells, sounds, dust, etc. are the direct result of growing food to feed them.

4. WATER Fresh water supplies are being used faster than the earth can clean it. In developing nations, there is not governmental interactions to prevent the continued corruption of clean water supplies. In developed nations, there are not regulations in place to control groundwater usage and conservation. Water conservation has not been a priority until the recent hard-hitting drought.

5. SOCIAL CHANGES Social changes dictate the demand in the market place for specific food products. 1940’s affordable 1950’s- 1970’s affordable and convenient 1980’s affordable, convenient, low priced, low fat, must look high quality 1990’s affordable, convenient, low-priced, healthy, high quality, and produced in an environmentally-friendly way 2000’s affordable, convenient, low-priced, healthy, high quality, environmentally- friendly, and must have a story 2010’s to present- affordable, convenient, low-priced, healthy, high quality, environmentally-friendly, must have a story, GMO-free, organic, antibiotic-free, grass-fed, humanely-produced, low carbon footprint, sustainable, and return of the popularity of farmers market shopping, want food that’s locally produced

6. TECHNICAL ADVANCES Labor-saving technology Computerization for efficiency biotechnology

7. Last Call at the Oasis (you tube)