industrial agriculture
DESCRIPTION
Industrial Agriculture. Anth 210, October 16, 2007. Shifting Agricultural Ecosystem. Sun. Humans. Nutrients Fibers Drugs Decorations Etc. Energy. Labor: Clearing Burning Planting Fencing Weeding Harvesting Pest Control Storage Etc. . Air. Carbon, Oxygen. Nutrients Water. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Industrial Agriculture
Anth 210, October 16, 2007
Soil
NutrientsWater
Sun
Air
Energy
Carbon,Oxygen
Humans
Labor:ClearingBurningPlantingFencingWeedingHarvestingPest ControlStorageEtc.
Usefulplant
Uselessplant
Shifting Agricultural Ecosystem
NutrientsFibersDrugsDecorationsEtc.
Sun
Air
Energy
Carbon,Oxygen
Humans
Labor energy:PlowingHarrowingPlantingFencingWeedingHarvestingPest ControlStorageEtc.
Usefulplants(crops)
Intensive Agricultural Ecosystem
NutrientsFibersDrugsDecorationsEtc.
FARMLAND
NutrientsWater
Watersource
Irrigation
Animals
Tractionenergy
Manure(nutrients)
Labor energy
Sun
energy: PlowingHarrowing, PlantingFencing, WeedingHarvesting, Pest Control, Storage, etc.
Industrial Monocrop Agricultural Ecosystem
FARMLAND
Air
Energy
Carbon,Oxygen
Humans
Singlecrops
NutrientsWater
Watersource
Irrigation
Fossil Fuel
Machinery
FertilizerNutrients
$-cides
Exchange Value
Consumer goods
Agricultural Intensification:Energy
Foraging Shifting Agriculture
Intensive Agriculture
Energy Input per unit of land
Energy output per unit of land
Net energy/land
Output/input ratio Population density
Surplus
Fossil FuelEnergy
IndustrialAgriculture
Agricultural Intensification:Energy and EcologyForaging
Shifting Agriculture
Intensive Agriculture
IndustrialAgriculture
Energy source Human Human Human+animal Fossil fuel
Energy efficiency High High Moderate Lowest
Yield per person Low + Low + Low High
Diet Protein High Mod to low Low* High
Biodiversity (farm) Moderate Moderate Low
Biodiversity (landscape) High High Moderate Mod to low
Value produced Use Use Use+exchange Exchange+use
Population supported V. low Low Mod to high Highest
Agricultural Intensification:Energy Efficiency
Agricultural Intensification:Ecology
The Landscape Approach
Two agricultural landscapes
Corn
Buckwheat
Potatoes
OatsPines
Mixed forest
Near Yangjuan, China
Near Walla Walla, Washington
Wheat
Fallow Wheat
Plowed Wheat
• 3rd largest carrot producer in the U.S.: about 5%• 20,000 acres; 10,000 in crops• Rotate between potatoes, garlic, carrots, peas• About 60,000 tons of carrots on 2,500 acres• 2 harvesters, [40 total in U.S.] $600,000 each• 75 irrigation circles• Carrot production line
A large industrial farm:Mercer Ranch
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Extensive Irrigation
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Extensive Irrigation• 75 circles• Single computer• $50,000 each• 20 pumps, 800-1500 hp.
A factory in the field
The carrots from the field are first washed then transported to lines where mechanically grade and transport separately for cell carrots, jumbos, clip-tops, juice and baby-peel carrots.
Agricultural Intensification:Social and Technical Aspects