1 Food and agriculture Withgott chapter 7 a Subsistence agriculture vs industrial agriculture i Subsistence agriculture 1 Self sufficiency farming in which farmers focus on growing enough food to feed 2 Typical subsistence farms have a range of crops and animals needed to feed and clothe themselves and their families the family during the year ii Industrial agriculture 1 The industrialized production of livestock poultry fish and crops 2 Intensive livestock farming a factory farming b Raising livestock in confinement at high stocking density 3 Managed intensive grazing a cell grazing mob grazing b Livestock is regularly and systematically moved to fresh rested areas with the intent to maximize the quality and quantity of forage growth 4 Crop rotation a The practice of growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same space in sequential seasons for various benefits such as to avoid the buildup of pathogens and pests that often occurs when one species iss continuously cropped b Crop rotation also seeks to balance the fertility demands of various crops to avoid excessive depletion of soil nutrients b Green revolution 1940s 1960s i ii The series of research development and technology transfer initiatives that increased agriculture production worldwide 1 Particularly in the developing world c GM crop what is this Understand the debates over this issue genetically modified i ii The DNA of plants are altered to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species 1 Resistance to certain pests 2 Resistance to disease 3 Resistance to environmental conditions 4 Resistance to chemical treatments e g resistance to a herbicide 5 Production of a certain nutrient or pharmaceutical agent iii GM crops also provide a number of ecological benefits iv Opponents have objected to GM crops per se on several grounds including 1 Environmental concerns 2 Whether food produced from GM crops is safe a There is broad scientific consensus that food on the market derived from GM crops poses no greater risk to human health than conventional food 3 Whether GM crops are needed to address the world s food needs 4 Economic concerns raised by the fact these organisms are subject to intellectual property law 5 The role of government regulators v Should GM food be labeled in stores 1 Labeling of GM products in the marketplace is required in many countries 2 In the U S the FDA does not require labeling of GM products nor does it recognize a distinction between GM and non GM foods d Understand the order of resource input for different types of animal products Figure 7 22 e Soil erosion soil conservation methods 7 23 i Contour farming 1 Ploughing and or planting across a slope following its elevation contour lines 2 Contour lines create a water break which reduces the formation of gullies during times of heavy water run off ii Crop rotation 1 Growing a series of dissimilar types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons 2 Soil structure is improved by alternating deep rooted and shallow rooted plants f Impacts of over irrigation and over fertilization i Over irrigation 1 Too much water in soil inhibits the process of germination of seeds a Excessive water in the field affects soil aeration b The seeds do not get sufficient air to respire 2 Roots cannot grow properly in a waterlogged field a Insufficient soil aeration inhibits the proper growth of plant roots 3 Excessive water in the field increases the amount of salt on the surface of soil due to evaporation a The accumulation of salts damages the soil fertility 4 Excessive irrigation may lead to lodging of the crop a Due to excess water the roots of the plant may not be able to provide necessary anchorage in the wet soil b Plants fall over ii Over fertiliization much will have unpleasant consequences a The plant will turn brown and wilt g Organic farm what is it Pros and cons 1 Too much fertilizer is basically force feeding plants the nutrients they need and too i Consumer benefits 1 Nutrition 2 Poison free a Organically grown food has higher vitamin and mineral content a It is free of contamination with health harming chemicals such as i Pesicides ii Fungicides iii Herbicides 3 Food tastes better plant itself has enjoyed 4 Food keeps longer a Sugar content in fruit and vegetables is a function of the quality of nutrition that the a Organically grown plants are nourished naturally rendering the structural and metabolic integrity of their cellular structure superior to those conventionally grown b Organically grown foods can be stored longer and do not show the latter s susceptibility to rapid mold and rotting ii Grower benefits 1 Disease and pest resistance a Different tactics used by organic farmers such as growing fresh crops between rows of different crop with disease to ensure that the primary does not suffer without the use of chemicals i The agriculture processes used by organic farmers yields good nutrient rich soil b Weed competitiveness it acts as a repellant for weeds c Lower input costs i Organic farming does not incur the use of expensive agrichemicals they are not permitted ii The greater resistance of their crops to pests and disease save farmers significantly in expensive insecticides fungicides and other pesticides iii Organic farming disadvantages 1 Productivity a Industrialized agriculture was literally created in the mind of productivity b Organic farming has quality more in mind c Long term it doesn t matter because organic yields better soil and crop a Organic farmers are usually at least partly dependent on cultivation to remove b Their counterparts sow by directly drilling seeds into herbicide treated soil saving 2 Cultivation weeds prior to sowing time and effort 3 GM crops a Organic growers do not use genetically modified or engineered food crops some of which are engineered to tolerate herbicides or resist pests b Conventional growers on the other hand are free to take advantage of GM crops saving them effort when it comes to disease and pests 2 Energy Withgott chapter 15 16 a Renewable vs nonrenewable energy and examples i Renewable energy 1 Energy which is generated from natural sources a Sun b Wind c Rain d Tides 2 Pros 3 Cons a Available in the abundant quantity and free to use b Low carbon emissions therefore way more environmentally friendly c Helps stimulate the economy and create job opportunities d Tax incentives you can get paid to save the earth a Not super easy to set up a plant