Transcript AGR 199 – Contemporary Issues in Agriculture

AGR 199 –
Contemporary Issues
in Agriculture
- Mr. Wilson
Welcome
• Contemporary Issues in Agriculture
– Issues Class- meaning an in-depth
exploration of conflict between two
oppositional sides of an issue.
Conflict
• Example: Organic Farming vs. Conventional
Farming
– Organic Position- cut production quantity to focus on
production quality for the health of all involved.
– Conventional Position- Increase productivity through the
use of technology and site specific inputs to increase
profitability for producer and decrease food price for
consumer.
Introductions
• Introduce Yourselves
– Stand up
– Where you’re from
– Major
– Summer Activity (job, internship, etc.)
What is this class?
• Better question: What does this class
mean?
• What do the following words mean?
– Contemporary
– Issue
– Agriculture
Contemporary
• (Adjective) – Existing or occurring at, or
dating from, the same period of time as
something or somebody else.
• (Noun) – Somebody or something in
existence at the present time.
Issues
• (Noun) – A topic for discussion or of
general concern.
• (Verb) – transitive verb - To make public
something such as a bulletin, statement,
warning, or deliver it officially to
somebody.
Agriculture
• As defined by Bill Gates and the Microsoft
Crew
• (Noun) – The occupation, business, or
science of cultivating the land, producing
crops, and raising livestock.
• Thesaurus says agriculture is, “Farming,
Cultivation, Crop Growing, and
Gardening”
Is America illiterate
about Agriculture?
• Or is Agriculture illiterate about
Agriculture?
– The largest employer
– $1,000,000,000,000 industry
• Since 1850, the definition of a farm has
changed 9 times (USDA, 2008).
So…what is a farm?
• Since 1974, the USDA has defined a farm
as…
– any place from which $1,000 or more of
agricultural products (crops and livestock)
were sold or normally would have been sold
during the year
What about this class?
•
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Identify issues
Effectively communicate
Learn how to research
Develop independent decisions and
opinions with valuable documentation.
• Gain knowledge in agriculture
• Gain self-confidence
What will we discuss?
Along with…