Saturday, March 21, 2009

Agricultural Research Improving Our Food Sources

If it were not for agricultural research, then the world's agriculture and food sources would be in dire trouble. It is through research that new plants are developed. It is through research that diseases, which affect plants, animals and fish, are discovered and treated.

Research involving agriculture has led to many new developments for new ways of growing and producing quality products. The research has far reaching consequences that you may not be aware of.

In the United States the USDA is largely responsible for regulating agricultural research. This government division provides grants to scientists and researchers around the world for new advances.

Sustainable development would not have been investigated had it not been for the work of the USDA. But there is so much more to sustainable farming than just creating new strains of plants or heartier animals for food sources.

The next time you bite into a hamburger or eat a salad, you can thank agricultural research for its hand in developing the safest food possible. You also can thank them for keeping the world updated on potentially dangerous viruses and diseases that could potentially harm millions of individuals. After you visit the website you will definitely have a greater appreciation for all that the researchers do.

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

Agricultural Farm Produce

If you live in a huge city, then you can often forget about the role agriculture plays in modern society. It is easy to pick up a head of lettuce in the grocery store along with any other fruits, vegetables or meats that you want.

Everything comes in its own packaging and people become disassociated with the process of growing that food. Agricultural farms all over the world work daily to provide people with the food that they need in order to live.

While the plants are growing, the farmer will use pesticides to ensure that the crops remain free from pests and illness. In the case of organic farming, these pesticides are substituted with more natural methods, such as cultivating pest predators or rotating the crops.

After the plants have matured, it is time for the harvesting. Since most farms are pretty substantial, the harvesting is performed by machinery. From the fields it is a trip to the market or to a processor that will ensure that the crops are cleaned and sent to their various destinations.

There is nothing in life that is instantaneous. Everything takes time and agricultural products are no exception. It takes months to grow the crops and get them to the point where they are ready to be harvested.

It is hard work but once you understand the process and the risks that farmers take, such as with pests, unpredictable weather, and crop or animal diseases, you will be able to fully appreciate that food on your plate.

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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Farmers Market For Better Organic Produce

It is pretty easy to run down to the local grocery store and pick up fresh vegetables. Even if it is winter in the area where you live, you still can have fresh fruits and vegetables because they are shipped in from around the world.

Life was not always this easy. For a long period of time the only way to get fresh produce was to either buy it at a farmers market or grow it yourself. Many families would grow extra vegetables and fruit so that they could sell it at the local market to help supplement their income.

Unfortunately the farmers market took a decline. Chemical substances were used to kill pests, especially insects, and even though there was a small movement against the use of these pesticides, most people found it more convenient to simply buy from a supermarket.

With the organic movement, more small farmers are able to sell their produce at local farmers' markets. In 1994 there were an estimated 1,755 markets in the United States. By 2006, the number of markets has more than doubled to a whopping 4,385.

If you have never been to a farmers market, then you are definitely missing out on some fantastic opportunities to get fresh, off the vine vegetables. The aroma of freshly picked tomatoes or a ripe cantaloupe is one that should not be missed.

If you are looking for a local market, then you can go to www.farmersmarket.com to get a list of certified, organic farms that are close to your home.

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Sunday, March 15, 2009

The Farmers Producing Food To Market

Farming has been a part of mankind's history from the very beginning. It may have started with a simple hunter and his mate who found plants that were edible and learned how to cause them to propagate. From that moment farming was born.

For thousands and thousands of years it has been a way to supplement the diets and coffers of families. The family would grow extra produce and would sell the excess in the local market for others to buy. The farmers at that time had a steep, uphill battle to produce enough food.

Times have changed for the farmers who grow the food that their nation consumes. Most farmers operate on a large scale. They no longer have to worry about making it through the winter because the farming industry has changed so dramatically. In the past, every family had to either have wealth or they had to grow their own garden to supply them through the winter.

So who do the farmers really owe a big thanks to? That would be the USDA. The United States Department of Agriculture is continuously developing new growing techniques and ways to guarantee bigger yields each year.

Even the general public should be very thankful because it is the USDA that helps to make sure that the food we eat meets the high safety standards they have set.

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