An article in American Farmer let me know that this week is National Agriculture Week and Thursday, March 20, 2008 is National Agriculture Day. Some points from the National Ag media page are:
- Average age of a farmer is 55 years old.
- U.S. farmers produce
- 46% of the world’s soybeans
- 41% of the world’s corn
- 20.5% of the world’s cotton
- 13% of the world’s wheat
- 1 U. S. farmer supplies food for 144 people.
- 1 acre of land in the U.S. (about the size of a football field) can produce:
- 42,000 lbs. of strawberries,
- 11,000 heads of lettuce,
- 25,400 lbs. of potatoes,
- 8,900 lbs. of sweet corn,
- or 640 lbs. of cotton lint.
- Americans spend less on food than any other developed nation in the world.
- In 2004, Americans spent 2% of their disposable income on meat and poultry.
- Ranchers are producing meat lower in fat and cholesterol, resulting in retail cuts that are 15% leaner.
- Farmers pay anywhere from $97,000 to $170,00 for a 160 horsepower tractor.
- Advancements in biotechnology help grow tastier fruits and vegetables that stay fresh longer and are not damaged by insects.
- Precision farming reduces waste by using satellite maps and computers to match seed, fertilizer and crop protection applications to local soil conditions.
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