Current Ag Trends

Current Agricultural Trends Including a Brief History Lesson

Lisa Tronchetti & Ryan Steffensen

Outline  

A Brief History Current Agricultural Trends (Including US Comparisons) – – – – –

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Population and Expansion Machinery Row Crop Production Livestock Production Forestry Renewable Energy

Future Outlooks

A Brief History: 11th-14th Century 

Cultivation=Expansion – –

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4 million to 12 million people New Settlements

Three Field System – –

More fruit and vegetable production More wine production!

A Brief History: Land Ownership Issues 

Land Ownership –

Manor Lords  

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Estate Owners  

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Western Germany More Freedoms Eastern Germany Closer ties to owners

Inheritance 

Effects on farm size and growth

A Brief History: The Liberation   

1790-1850 Paved the way for market oriented agriculture 3 Things Occurred 1. 2.

3.

Discharge Division and Coupling Eliminated barriers to land possession

A Brief History: The Third Reich 

1933-1945 Third Reich Policy –

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Joining the NS –

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Greatly influences agriculture After being in a economic decline for many years

NSDAP –

– –

Agricultural pare of NS Designed to better represent farmer Used by the NS to reach own gains

Current Trends: Population and Expansion 

Germany: 1 farmer = 75 people fed –

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Germany: 350,000 farms Decreasing the # of farms, Increasing Size – –

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U.S.: 1 farmer = 100 people fed

Like trend in U.S. Avg. Farm Size (Germany) App. 300 acres

Land Statistics

Current Trends: Machinery 

Came into use after WW1 – –

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Tractor Combine (harvesting equipment)

Lead to trend in larger farm size and fewer farms.

Current Trends: Row Crop Production 

5 Top Products 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Sugar Beets Wheat Potatoes Barley Rapeseed

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Other Crops – – – – –

Maize (corn) Soybeans Rye Fruits Vegetables

Trend is moving away from traditional goods to corn and value added products/organic (fruits and veggies).

Current Trends: Livestock Production 

Top 4 Livestock 1. 2. 3. 4.

Hogs Cattle Rabbits Sheep

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Average Herd Size – – –

70 cattle 40 dairy 300 hogs

Current Trends: Forestry 

30% of Land

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Mostly private ownership

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High pollution hurts forests

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Quota System

Current Trends: Renewable Energy 6% Wind Energy  Biodiesel  Ethanol  Wave Power (something new) 

Future Outlook  

Globalization Integration –

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Increasing farm size

Off Farm Income Shift to Corn Production Wave Energy!

Conclusion 

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History has greatly affected today’s Agricultural practices Agriculture is still growing and changing in Germany Trends are much like in the United States The Future is Exciting!