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Agribusiness As they say on the farm, there's no business like agribusiness. The agribusiness industry is huge, and these resources can help you keep your finger on the agricultural pulse of the world. Industry calendars, market prices and reports, trade regulations, postharvest and production guides, industry analysis, news, quotes, weather and crop conditions -- all of that and more is waiting for you on the Net, where nothing grows but everything flourishes. Web:
Agricultural Statistics According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, April 2002 was a big month in the egg production business: 7.08 billion eggs were produced (down slightly from the year before), of which 5.99 billion were table eggs and 1.09 billion were hatching eggs. A total of 336 million hens contributed to this burst of ovo-activity. On the average, each laying hen produced 21.1 eggs during the month. (At this point, let us take a moment to imagine what it must be like to ovulate 21.1 times every month.) If you have even a passing interest in learning interesting facts, reading agricultural statistics is a great way to satiate your curiosity. There are lots and lots of numbers about crops, farm economics, food, weather, technology, international agriculture, livestock, dairy, poultry, rural affairs, specialty agriculture and trade issues. Imagine how impressed your friends will be once they know that you know how much land in France was planted with apples last year (78,000 hectares), what the yield was (260,513 hectograms/hectare), and how many apples were actually produced (2,032,000 metric tons). Web:
Agriculture Jobs The world of agriculture is vast, with literally hundreds of different types of jobs. If you are looking for work, here are some resources to help you. You'll find information regarding professional-level job opportunities in many different areas, including agricultural production, business and research. (It's not generally known, but Mr. Greenjeans used the Net to get his job with Captain Kangaroo.) Web:
Agriculture Magazines These days, people think you have to go skydiving, bungee jumping, ice climbing or fire walking to get a thrill. How wrong can they be? On the Net, I can get a rush any time I want. Check out the agricultural magazines on the Net and you will see what I mean. There are several different agriculture magazines for your perusal. You can read articles from journals like Hogs Today, Beef Today, Dairy Today, Farm Journal, Top Producer and Progressive Farmer. If you don't want to just read, you can hang with other agricultural thrill-seekers in chat rooms. Web:
Agriculture News The basic goal of agriculture has always been the same: to turn natural resources (land, water and sunlight) into food and other useful products. In pursuit of this goal, modern agriculture has evolved into an amalgam of science, technology, business and politics, all of which make for a great deal of agricultural news every day. In fact, something important is probably happening right now. My advice is don't even finish this paragraph. Check the news right away. Web:
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Agriculture Resources Agriculture is the art, science and business of producing crops and livestock. Agriculture, in some form or another, is as old as human history. Indeed, it was the development of farming techniques that allowed early humans to form stable settlements and begin to develop culturally. Modern agriculture is a vast area of activity. In the United States, agriculture accounts for about one sixth of the national economic output. Within the science of agriculture, the main branches of study are agronomy (soil management, field crops), horticulture (fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants), entomology (insects), animal husbandry (care and breeding of domestic animals), and dairying (milk production). Web:
Agriculture Talk and General Discussion It has been a long time since farmers were isolated tillers of the soil, living alone and working from dawn to dusk with little contact with the outside world. Today's modern farmer is as likely to have an Internet connection as a tractor. If you are a farmer or have an interest in agriculture, join the discussion, and stay in touch with your neighbors all over the world. Web: Usenet:
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Agripedia Agripedia is a well-designed encyclopedia of agriculture maintained by the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture. The site is oriented toward learning, so if you are an agriculture student, you will find the resources particularly useful. The reference material is comprehensive, including many well-organized links to resources around the Net. If you have any interest at all in agriculture, you will want to know about this site. (Actually, the only word I couldn't find in the large glossary was "dell". It seems as if the U. of Kentucky College of Agriculture still has a lot to learn about The Farmer in the Dell.) Web:
Beekeeping The other day, I was walking down the street, humming a little tune and enjoying a honey sandwich wrapped in wax paper, when I ran into a winged, hairy-bodied, stinging insect of the superfamily Apoidea in the order Hymenoptera -- that is to say, a bee. Hello, Ms. Bee, I said, I notice you have a dense coat of feathery hairs on your head and thorax, as well as enlarged hind feet. You betcha, Harley, she said. I use my feathery coat and my enlarged hind feet to gather pollen which I deposit in one place or another in an agriculturally useful manner as I cruise for nectar, which I convert to honey within my digestive tract. You look busy, I said. Tell me about it, she replied. I not only gather nectar and make honey, I mix the pollen with water to make special bee-bread for the youngsters (that is to say, the larvae), and I help take care of the queen and protect the hive. I looked at her closely. You also look tired, I observed. She sighed. You are correct; there is no rest for me. Every time I try to take a moment to relax, I have to get up and perform a complex patterned dance in order to communicate the location of a pollen source to some dumbcluck who is too dense to find it on her own. However, she said, I have a job to do. I am a honeybee (and I could see her multifaceted eyes light up with pride) and I am cultivated not only for my honey and my contribution to pollen distribution, but for my ability to make wax. And now, she said, with a little wave of her head, I have to go. As you can see, I am as busy as a writer. Web:
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Dairy Science There is no other farm animal whose output reflects the quality of forage as much as a lactating dairy cow. Even high-quality alfalfa does not supply enough digestible dry matter: you still have to use some type of grain and protein supplement. When you come right down to it, if you want top milk production, there is no substitute for young, bright-green alfalfa. Can't you just smell that pleasant freshly-cut-grass aroma without a hint of mustiness? (I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.) Check the Net, where you can milk the dairy science resources for all they are worth. Web:
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Forestry The only thing bad about the forest is that there's no good waves to surf. Other than that, I really like the forest. Except for the bugs. But other than that, I like the forest. Except for the snakes, I mean. Other than that, I really do like the forest. If you are a big fan of forestry like I am, you have to check out the forestry resources on the Net. You can find software, databases, lists of conferences, mailing lists, research papers, journals, and links to other forestry stuff. And you don't even need any insect repellent. Web:
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Irrigation Irrigation -- the artificial watering of agricultural land -- has been used for centuries. Irrigation is crucial to agriculture, and modern irrigation practices can be complex. Simply put, the idea is to use the techniques of hydraulic modeling, drainage, salinity control and drought management to get enough water in the right place at the right times, without causing waterlogging (soil saturation) or salinization (excessive accumulation of salts). At the same time, there are other concerns: water rights, the overall water supply, environmental issues -- such as endangered species -- and politics. (Boy, just thinking about all that makes me thirsty.) Web:
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Livestock: Exotic We are all familiar with traditional farm animals, such as horses, cows, pigs and chickens. But where are the camels, the exotic poultry, the antelopes, the bison and the ratites? Not to mention chinchillas, minks, boer goats, miniature horses, alpacas, deer and tropical birds? On the Net, of course. (Ratites, by the way, are flightless birds, such as emus, ostriches and rheas.) Web:
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Livestock: Rare Domesticated Breeds Of all the treasures of youth, one that I miss the most is my grandmother's chicken soup. Nothing like it exists today, and one of the reasons is that you can't get chickens that taste as good as they used to. (If you are under 40, ask an old person how real chicken used to taste.) Too many domesticated breeds are in danger of disappearing because the food industry, for the sake of efficiency, relies on just a few specialized breeds. However, there are people who concern themselves with preserving traditional livestock breeds. One day we will praise them. Web:
Market Reports Running a farm means staying up to date on the market, sometimes on a daily basis. Having the latest news and current prices is an invaluable aid to agricultural planning. These resources will help you find the information you need to work in the fast-moving agricultural marketplace. Sometimes it's just as important to know what a 50-pound sack of Russet Burbank potatoes is going for in Los Angeles, as it is to know the name of that little green bug with red spots. Web:
National Agricultural Library The National Agricultural Library (NAL) is one of four national libraries in the United States. NAL is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's research service. Through this Web page you can learn how to access ISIS, the library's public catalog, see part of the NAL's image collection that is online, and get information on how to access other NAL resources. Web: National Genetic Resources Program The USDA's National Genetic Resources Program provides germplasm and related information for plants, animals, microbes and insects. ("Germplasm" refers to the hereditary material within germ [sex] cells. Get enough germplasm, and you can start your own world.) My favorite plants are the Giant Raspberries of Jilin. These raspberries, which were originally bought from street vendors along the banks of the Songhua reservoir near the city of Jilin in northeastern China, measure from 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters wide. In case you are a raspberry breeder, the species name for the Giant Raspberries of Jilin is Rubus crataegifolius. Germplasm -- in the form of seeds -- is available from the National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Oregon. You will need to reference accession (identifier) RUB 1917. Web: Organic Farming "Organic farming" refers to agricultural practices in which farming is carried out without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or chemicals (such as hormones and antibiotics). Organic farmers employ a wide array of materials and techniques, and there is a great deal of information available on the Net. Web:
Poultry According to my sister, there's nothing bad about poultry that can't be fixed by boiling it long enough. Of course, not everyone agrees. There are about 14,859,460,000 chickens in the world, many of whom are loved like brothers (or sisters). Of course, there is more to life than chickens. There are also geese, ducks and turkeys. If you are a poultry person, you're going to feel right at home on the Net. Join the people who appreciate that buttercup combs are less round and lumpy than silkie combs, and read about poultry 'til your uropygial gland overflows. (By the way, to put the whole thing in perspective, 14.8 billion, the number of chickens in the world, is more than all the people who have ever bought a Harley Hahn book, put together.) Web:
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Precision Farming I will admit I didn't anticipate information about farming to be interesting. However, after reading some documents about precision farming, I have changed my mind. Precision farming is the process of tailoring soil and crop management to fit the various conditions found in individual fields. Precision farming uses remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) to analyze field data within inches. Using this system, farmers can adjust seeding rates, fertilizer and pesticide applications; make tillage adjustments; and record yield data variations within each individual field. If you want to know more about this space age method of farming, check out these sites, which have lots of good information. Web:
Sustainable Agriculture Farming is habit-forming. You think you'll try it for a year, just for fun, and you tell yourself that you can take it or leave it. But one day you wake up and realize it's in your blood. You're a farmer and you just can't quit. Then you start to realize how expensive your habit is. All those chemicals and fertilizers you put in the soil add up to big bucks. So use the Net to investigate sustainable agriculture, and see how people are working together to make farming less dependent on additives and more self-sustaining. After all, no one likes a freeloader, so why not make Mother Nature carry her own weight? Web:
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World Agricultural Information Center The World Agriculture Information Center (WAICENT) was created by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. WAICENT provides information on agriculture, fisheries, forestry, nutrition and rural development. Information is also available in languages other than English. This is just the thing when you have to pick up a quick present for a farm girl and you don't know what to get her. Web:
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