Erp Farming

[Sherlene Holloman]

USDA works everyday to strengthen the American agricultural economy. Despite the difficult economic climate of the past years, our efforts - coupled with the 2008 Farm Bill, the Recovery Act, and the hard work and resilience of America's farmers and ranchers - are helping American agriculture lead the nation's recovery. We maintain a strong and appropriate safety net for America's farmers, ranchers and growers which includes assistance to struggling industries, disaster assistance, and crop insurance, and provide technical assistance, access to credit, and help producers implement conservation practices.

To ensure that America remains the world leader in crop production, we conduct cutting-edge agricultural research. And to build a stronger agricultural economy for future generations, we work to improve both domestic and international markets, to create new income opportunities - like renewable energy - for America's producers, and to grow the next generation of American farmers.

If you're new to farming and want to start a farm, start here. The New Farmers website offers a wealth of information and resources on how to start a farm, making a business plan, access to land and capital, risk management, taxes, safety, and more! Or take the shortcut and use the Discovery Tool where you can answer a few questions to get personalized information.

Farming started thousands of years ago, but no one knows for sure how old it is.[1] The development of farming gave rise to the Neolithic Revolution as people gave up nomadic hunting and became settlers in cities.

Farming and domestication probably started in the Fertile Crescent (the Nile Valley, the Levant and Mesopotamia).[2] The area called Fertile Crescent is now in the countries of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt. Wheat and barley are some of the first crops people grew.

Livestock including horses, cattle, sheep, and goats were taken to the Americas, from the Old World. The first of those horses, came with the Spanish conquistadors[4] (or soldiers and explorers) in the 1490s. Moving those cattle, sheep, goats and horses, were part of the Columbian Exchange.

People probably started agriculture by planting a few crops, but still gathered many foods from the wild. People may have started farming because the weather and soil began to change. Farming can feed many more people than hunter-gatherers can feed on the same amount of land.

Many people still live by subsistence farming, on a small farm. They can only grow enough food to feed the farmer, his family, and his animals. The yield is the amount of food grown on a given amount of land, and it is often low. This is because subsistence farmers are generally less educated, and they have less money to buy equipment. Drought and other problems sometimes cause famines. Where yields are low, deforestation can provide new land to grow more food. This provides more nutrition for the farmer's family, but can be bad for the country and the surrounding environment over many years.

In some countries, farms are often fewer and larger. During the 20th century they have become more productive because farmers are able to grow better varieties of plants, use more fertilizer, use more water, and more easily control weeds and pests. Many farms also use machines, so fewer people can farm more land. There are fewer farmers in rich countries, but the farmers are able to grow more.

This kind of intensive agriculture comes with its own set of problems. Farmers use a lot of chemical fertilizers, pesticides (chemicals that kill bugs), and herbicides (chemicals that kill weeds). These chemicals can pollute the soil or the water. They can also create bugs and weeds that are more resistant to the chemicals, causing outbreaks of these pests. The soil can be damaged by erosion (blowing or washing away), salt builddup, or loss of structure. Irrigation (adding water from rivers) can pollute water and lower the water table. These problems have all got solutions, and modern young farmers usually have a good technical education.

Farmers select plants with better yield, taste, and nutritional value. They also choose plants that can survive plant disease and drought, and are easier to harvest. Centuries of artificial selection and breeding have changed crop plants. The crops produce better yield. Fertilizers, chemical pest control, and irrigation all help.

Farms may also keep animals. That is called animal husbandry. If they are used to make meat for people to eat, that is livestock production. Non-meat animals, such as milk cows and egg-producing chickens, are kept for their produce. "Produce" here means their eggs and milk, which are sold by the farm, usually in markets. Large animals need grassland of some kind for grazing. What they need depends on the animals. Goats eat a much wider range of plants than cows. In some parts of the world, that makes goats a more sensible choice for a farmer than cows.

It is important for there to be enough food for everyone. The food must also be safe and good. People say it is not always safe, because it contains some chemicals. Other people say intensive agriculture is damaging the environment. For this reason, there are several types of agriculture.

In this fourth OFRF Organic Researcher Spotlight, we take a look at the work of Dr. Ajay Nair, Chair of the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University. His latest OREI-funded research evaluates crop rotations and coop designs for integrating poultry with organic vegetable production.

Rhianna Simes, M.S.Ed. owns and operates Verdant Phoenix Farm, a 10 acre urban farm and education center located in Jackson County, Oregon. The farm is managed as a no-till production system and is certified organic. She is participating in OFRF's Farmer Led Trials (FLT) Program to test the success of occultation as opposed to tillage as a field preparation solution for no-till farming.

As Marina Vergara, former intern at OFRF, moves onto the next chapter, she reflects on her experience gaining knowledge about organic farming in the US and building professional confidence through research and project management with OFRF. She is excited to apply her learnings at her new role as a Community Outreach Farmer.

Through a new Researcher & Extension Agent affinity group in the West/Southwestern region, OFRF is helping to foster community within the organic farming sector, creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

Our Board President, April Jones Thatcher, offers a heartfelt reflection on the joys and challenges of organic farming. In her inspiring call to action, April explores how you can be part of a healthier food system. Read her message and discover how your choices can cultivate a more sustainable future for our communities and our planet.

The Organic Farming Research Foundation leads a coalition of 90 farms, organizations, institutions, and businesses urging Congress to boost organic research funding in the next Farm Bill to bolster sustainability and economic growth.

New to farming? Want to learn how to start a farm? USDA offers dedicated help to beginning farmers and ranchers. USDA considers anyone who has operated a farm or ranch for less than ten years to be a beginning farmer or rancher.

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinators are USDA team members in each state that can help you understand the USDA process and find the right assistance as you are starting out. Reach out to your state's coordinator for one-on-one technical assistance and guidance. They can also connect you with organizations that specifically serve beginning farmers and ranchers.

Your local USDA Service Center has staff who can meet with you one-on-one to help you identify USDA programs that meet the needs of your operation, including farm loans and conservation assistance. Service center staff can guide you through the process of preparing and submitting required paperwork, with no need to hire a paid preparer.

After you've registered your farm and set up an individual customer record with your local USDA Service Center, you can sign up for a secure farmers.gov account to access a number of self-service features. For example, you can:

In addition to our farm programs, there are many leadership opportunities for beginning farmers to contribute their voices and experience. Through USDA, you can take advantage of several key opportunities like committee elections, research and promotion programs, and federal advisory committees.

USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county below to find your local service center and agency offices. If this locator does not work in your browser, please visit offices.usda.gov.

A bipartisan bill seeks to ban octopus farming in the U.S., outlawing a practice that has drawn controversy in Spain. Here, an octopus is seen at the Oceanopolis sea center in Brest, western France. Fred Tanneau/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A controversial plan to commercially farm octopus for meat has led to a U.S. bill that would ban the practice, along with any imports linked to it. Bipartisan legislation to ban octopus farming was introduced in Congress on Friday, after NPR reported on the issue.

"Octopuses are among the most intelligent creatures in the oceans. And they belong at sea, not suffering on a factory farm," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, a co-author of the bill, said in a statement to NPR.

There are no current reports of plans for an industrial octopus farm in the U.S. But Whitehouse said he and the bill's other co-author, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, decided to act preemptively, to "prevent U.S. companies from participating in this brutal practice before it takes root."

If it becomes law, the ban would impose a civil fine up to $100,000 for each violation. It includes a handful of exceptions, for cases such as aquarium displays, breeding programs and research purposes.

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