The agricultural industry includes growing and raising produce, livestock, flowers, timber, and crops for sale. It dates back thousands of years and includes biotech companies, veterinarians, florists, and wineries. The beginning of agriculture marked the beginning of civilization, and most products are considered part of the primary sector. The industry has seen changes due to technology, and agribusiness encompasses all aspects of the sector.
The agricultural industry includes anything that is grown or raised for human use. This includes produce, livestock, flowers, timber, and crop plants for sale. The agricultural industry is one of the oldest in the world, dating back thousands of years.
Farmers are not the only participants in the agricultural sector, although they are the best known. Also included are areas that contribute to agriculture, such as biotech companies and veterinarians. Florists and nurseries, who grow plants for sale, either as plants or as flowers in bouquets, are also part of the agricultural industry. Wineries can also be considered a part of agricultural activity.
The first time man exchanged an agricultural commodity, such as a pile of corn, for another commodity marked the beginning of the agricultural industry. The beginning of civilization, unlike previous nomadic ways, occurred with the beginning of agriculture. Instead of having to hunt and gather food, early humans learned to grow their own food. Before long, communities began to form and people could trade their food surpluses for what they lacked. The agricultural sector was already proving to be profitable.
Most of what is produced in the agricultural sector is considered to be in the primary sector, which means that the original product comes directly from nature and has not been modified or processed in any way. Some processed agricultural products, such as trees processed into finished lumber, are considered part of the secondary sector.
The agricultural sector has seen many changes in the last 100 years. Farmers can now grow more crops in a smaller amount of space. While this made farming cheaper, there were questions about the ethics involved in raising livestock in confined spaces. Biotechnology has also changed agriculture, improving soil fertilization, developing larger and more resilient crops, and improving the nutrients in harvested food.
Agribusiness is used to describe any business that operates in the agricultural sector. This includes not just farms, but the companies that build, sell and repair farm equipment, the inspectors who make sure the farm is up to standard, and the entire dairy industry, from the unit that takes fresh milk through the driver who delivers processed milk to grocery stores, for example. When you look at the agricultural sector in terms of agribusiness, you can see how widespread agriculture is, even in modern times.
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