Agriculture Is More Than Just Food!
Many products we use in our everyday lives are plant and animal byproducts of foods produced by America’s farmers and ranchers:
Manufacturing – adhesives, lubricants, solvents, detergents, polymers, batteries
Construction – lumber, paints, brushes, tar paper, drywall, tool handles, particle board, insulation, carpet, floor wax
Healthcare – medications, surgical sutures, ointments, latex gloves, x-ray film, heart valves, bandages
Personal care products – shampoo, soap, cosmetics, lotions, fingernail polish, toothpaste, deodorant
Transportation – biofuels including ethanol and biodiesel, lubricants, antifreeze, tires, upholstery, packing materials, air filters
Sports – uniforms, baseball bats, leather equipment and balls, shoes
Printing – paper, ink
Education – crayons, textbooks, chalk, desks, pencils, paper, glue, rubber bands
Entertainment – string for musical instruments, drum heads, piano keys, dice
Pizza Comes From America’s Farms & Ranches
Americans consume more than 3 billion pizzas annually; on any given day, one in eight Americans will eat pizza. The top-producing states for pizza ingredients:
Onions – Washington, California, Idaho
Tomato Sauce (fresh tomatoes) – Florida, California, North Carolina
Mushrooms – Pennsylvania, California
Pizza Dough (winter wheat) – Kansas, Washington, Montana
Chicken – Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas
Sausage (hogs) – Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina
Pineapple – Hawaii
Spinach – California, Arizona
Green Peppers – California, Florida
Mozzarella Cheese (dairy products) – California, Wisconsin
An Acre of Land
An acre is about the size of a football field. One acre of land can produce many different types of crops, depending on the fertility and type of soil, how much rain falls and how much the sun shines. How much can grow on one acre:
Cotton – 840 pounds – A bale of cotton weighs about 480 pounds. One bale can be used to make 215 pairs of jeans or 313,600 $100.00 bills.
Wheat – 2,784 pounds/46.4 bushels – One bushel of wheat produces about 42 pounds of flour, which can be used to make 42 loaves of bread or 42 pounds of traditional pasta. One bushel of whole wheat yields even more; 64 pounds of flour to make 64 loaves of bread or 64 pounds of pasta.
Industrial Hemp – 5,300 pounds of straw – 5,300 pounds of straw yields 1,300 pounds of fiber that can be used to produce rope, clothing, shoes, paper and building materials.
Strawberries – 50,000 pounds – Those who responded to a national survey think of strawberry lovers as “health-conscious, fun-loving, intelligent and happy”.
Top States for Production of Farm Products (value of cash receipts)
Cattle & Calves – Nebraska $11,165 million
Corn – Iowa $7,998 million
Soybeans – Illinois $5,449 million
Dairy Products – California $6,562 million
Chickens (broilers) – Georgia $4,376 million
Hogs – Iowa $7,119 million
Wheat – North Dakota $1,532 million
Chicken Eggs – Iowa $858 million
Cotton – Texas $3,174 million
Grapes – California $5,793 million
America’s Farmers and Ranchers Are Diverse
Farm and Ranch families make up less than 2% of the U.S. population. They are diverse, growing conventional, biotech and organic crops. They also raise traditional and specialized livestock for meat, milk and eggs. Whether their businesses are big or small, today’s farmers strive for continuous improvement in food production.
About 8% of U.S. farms market foods locally, through direct-to-consumer or intermediated sales (farmers’ markets, farm stands, Community Supported Agriculture, food hubs, etc.) BUY LOCAL and talk to those who grow or produce fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, meats, cheeses, baked goods and other value-added products.
After a long, harsh winter, everyone is itching to get outside and enjoy the best that Mother Nature has to offer. Please take a few moments to review the farm safety tips, especially when sharing the road; consumers, neighbors and local farmers:
Information gathered 2019 American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture