Agricultural agriculture involves growing crops for food, animal feed, or commercial products. It can be pursued through family businesses, training, or university degrees. Crop choices depend on environmental conditions and market demands. Unpredictable weather and markets can make farming stressful, but insurance and government subsidies can help.
Agricultural agriculture is the cultivation of plants for food, animal feed, or other commercial uses. A variety of techniques, including organic production methods, can be used to manage crops. People can pursue this career through a family business, training on a farm with experienced farmers, or attending university to get a degree in agriculture or a related subject. It can result in long hours and harsh working conditions, coupled with unpredictable profits from year to year, which can be stressful for farmers.
The types of crops grown may depend on environmental conditions, market demands and preferences. Some crops have a limited growing range which depends on temperatures, available water supply, pests and other factors. Others can be grown in a wider range of conditions. Growers test the soil and evaluate their land to determine what types of produce they can grow, and narrow down the list to determine what would be commercially viable. If the market demand for cotton is high, for example, it could be a profitable crop to plant.
Plants grown for food, such as rice, wheat and vegetables, are a form of cultivation. You can also grow plants such as alfalfa which will be used to feed the animals. Some farms have a combination of crops and animals, using the crops they grow to feed livestock.
Other crops can be grown as sources of fuel, fiber, dye, and other commercial products. Experimental agriculture using new cultivars or crops that have not been successfully grown on a commercial scale is another form of agricultural agriculture. People can be paid by a university or research center to grow these crops and report.
Farming can be highly unpredictable. Unforeseen weather events can impact yields in any given year, and the market for crops can also change in response to a variety of economic factors. People who use agriculture as their primary source of income try to balance their crops to generate profits each year and may also need to take advantage of loans and grants in poor years. Insurance policies are available to protect people from losses such as crops damaged by severe weather.
Some crops may be considered important to national security and stability because a domestic source is important. Governments can subsidize agriculture and use other incentives to encourage farmers to stay productive. This can secure food supplies, increase the chances that enough food is available for everyone, and can reduce import dependency.
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