what are some benefits of industrial agriculture

Industrial Agriculture Pros

• Increased Food Production. The first benefit, of course, is increased food production across the whole globe. Scientific...
• Increased Employment Opportunities. An increase in population leads to an increase in the demand for employment...
• Faster Market Readiness. Another benefit is rapid market readiness for most agricultural produce. Most...

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What are the pros and cons of industrial agriculture?

What Are the Pros of Factory Farming?

1. It keeps prices down for consumers. Factory farming allows for livestock products to be produce on a large economic scale. ...
2. It allows automation to help provide food resources. In the past, farming meant an intense amount of daily manual labor to produce a crop. ...
3. It improves production efficiencies. ...

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What are the advantages of industrial agriculture?

Pros of Using Industrial Agriculture

• Industrial agriculture comes with a lot of benefits which are listed below.
• It increases agricultural production in lesser time.
• It makes life easier by bringing down the cost of agricultural produce.
• It boosts the economy.
• It creates employment opportunities for the skilled and unskilled.

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What are the negative effects of industrial agriculture?

Industrial farming is bad for the health of workers, eaters, and downstream neighbors. Here are some of its costly health impacts: Pesticide toxicity. Herbicides and insecticides commonly used in agriculture have been associated with both acute poisoning and long-term chronic illness. Water pollution from fertilizer runoff contaminates ...

What are the 10 benefits of Agriculture?

The Agricultural Benefits of Weather Stations for Eco-Friendly Farmers

• Following Weather Patterns is Crucial for Eco-Friendly Farmers. Weather is something we all care about. ...
• The Importance of Weather Forecast for Farmers. ...
• The Main Benefits of Weather Stations for Farming. ...
• 1. ...
• 2. ...
• Final Thoughts. ...

What are some positive things about industrial farming?

Industrial Agriculture ProsIncreased Food Production.Increased Employment Opportunities.Faster Market Readiness.Lower Consumer Costs.Innovation.Broadened Palates and Balanced Diets.High Worker Efficiency.Flexible Locations.More items...

What is the impact of industrial agriculture?

Industrial agriculture pollutes the air, water, and soil with toxic agrochemicals and livestock manure. It is a major source of pollution, accounting for more than twenty-percent of total greenhouse gas emissions � even more than transportation.

Why is industrial agriculture good for the environment?

Improvements in agricultural technologies and production practices have significantly lowered the use of energy and water, and greenhouse-gas emissions of food production per unit of output over time.

What are the pros and cons of industrial agriculture?

Here are the pros and cons:Pros of Industrial Agriculture.It increases food production. Large-scale industrial farms have an advantage over traditional farms when it comes to producing food fast and in larger amounts. ... Cons of Industrial Agriculture.It increases the risk of animal cruelty. ... Conclusion.

What is an example of industrial agriculture?

GMOs are widespread within industrial field agriculture, including over 90% of US corn, cotton, and soybeans. GMO animals include certain salmon and pigs, with more species in development. The long-term consequences of GMOs for human and ecosystem health are still unknown.

What are 3 benefits of agriculture?

Here are ten reasons why agriculture is important:#1. It's the main source of raw materials. ... #2. It's important to international trade. ... #3. It plays a big role in a nation's revenue. ... #4. It provides employment. ... #5. It's crucial to a country's development. ... #6. It can help heal the environment. ... #7. ... #8.More items...

What are two advantages and two disadvantages of industrial food production?

Two advantages of industrial food production is that it can help keep pesticides away from the crops and grow food easier, but two disadvantages of industrial food production is that some things like pesticides can harm the crops, livestock and the ecosystem around those things, and another disadvantage is that people ...

Is industrial agriculture sustainable?

Industrialized agriculture is highly concentrated and mechanized, relying on chemical inputs like fertilizers, pesticides and non-therapeutic antibiotics. However, sustainable agriculture, which uses methods that protect the environment, public health, human communities and animal welfare, is gaining traction.

What is industrial agriculture?

In this type of agriculture, the focus is mainly on maximizing the yield of fewer types of crops for more sales and greater profits, instead of diversification of the crops. The crops grown using industrial agriculture is meant to feed the masses and ensure food security across the world.

Why are large industrial farms better suited than traditional small to medium farms?

Large industrial farms are better suited than traditional small to medium farms for mechanized agriculture practices, which directly results in higher yields of crops, which has been the basic driving purpose of the industrialization efforts since the 1950s, to ensure food security of a rapidly growing global population.

Why is industrial agriculture important?

The crops grown using industrial agriculture is meant to feed the masses and ensure food security across the world. The use of chemicals, mechanized tools, and other advanced technology are some of the reasons why industrial agriculture is able to produce massive quantities of food from farms.

Why are modern farms so dependent on technology?

This means that there is always a need for better and more efficient technology in these farms, which in turn creates higher demand from scientists and engineers to innovate, thus keeping the benchmark of development and innovation high at all times.

Is Dynamics 365 a reliable ERP?

Like most of the other products from Microsoft, Dynamics 365 ERP Implementation is undoubtedly one of the most powerful, reliable, and flexible ERP solutions for agribusiness. The system is already used by some of the biggest corporates and global conglomerates including the likes of UPS, Adobe, HP, and others.

How does intensive irrigation affect the environment?

Intensive irrigation can lower groundwater levels and potentially jeopardize rainfall levels in the future, effectively leading to climate change. The heavy use of chemicals also leads to pollution of nearby water bodies. Rivers and lakes are often most at risk.

What are the environmental concerns of farming?

When it comes to criticisms against intensive commercial farming, environmental concerns are the fiercest barrage that titans of the industry are forced to dodge or absorb. From river pollution to carbon dioxide and methane emissions. From soil erosion to lowered water tables.

Why is pen feeding bad?

Pen-feeding can lead to animals growing to unnatural sizes, which reduces their mobility and overall health. The ethics of rearing animals in unnatural restrictive environments are also a major concern, as are the potential effects of consuming such animals.

How much cereal was produced in 2015?

In fact, according to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), global production of cereal grains grew from just over half a billion tons in 1950 to just under 9 billion tons in 2015. That is an astonishing 1700% increase in just 65 years.

What are the fields of study that are unrelated to farming?

Even fields of study that are unrelated to farming (Information Technology, Accounting, etc) are feeding commercial farming’s almost insatiable demand for workers. Some large farms even spawn small towns and villages that birth entrepreneurs and other businesses that serve the farms’ spheres of influence.

Why is work routine?

Due to the high levels of specialization and job specification, work becomes routine for employees, which reduces losses. A large portion of the work is often carried out by machines which means consistency of output is less dependant on people, whose consistency levels can vary.

How has technology improved agriculture?

Scientific advancements and technological innovations have facilitated the ability to maximize yields , grow crops in and out of their natural seasons, as well as carry out real-time data collection and analysis for rapid adjustment of environments. These are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the capabilities in modern agriculture. The result has been a boom in food production levels that would have been unthinkable just a few centuries ago.

How does intensive farming affect the environment?

Intensive farming causes environment pollution and induces major health issues due to poisonous agents. In this regard, the impacts of industrial agriculture require serious attention and management of risks.

What are the effects of monocropping?

Monocropping of high-yield species like rice, soybeans, corn, or wheat provokes high pest establishment and soil depletion. Particular pests attack particular crops; intercropped cultures act as barriers since they are non-host plants. Furthermore, reduced diversity of crops due to this fundamental industrial agriculture practice means better pest establishment and development of their resistance to controls applied. This results in extreme use of chemicals (often critical to humans and nature) and stronger option introductions.

What is intensive farming?

Intensive agriculture is the most typical method of soil cultivation and the key source of food worldwide. It relies on reaping high yields with strong and often extreme land exploitation and often extreme inputs. The main benefits of intensive farming include sufficient food supplies at affordable prices.

Why are bees and birds declining in agriculture?

Recent researches report decreased farmland bird and bee populations due to heavy insecticides in industrial agriculture , being a significant threat to further farming business and ecology in general. Hormones mitigating plant diseases are another harmful issue of intensive farming.

How does industrial agriculture affect animals?

Apart from the expansion of new territories when wildlife loses its natural habitation areas, animals are greatly affected by chemical applications in industrial agriculture. While herbicides pollute natural resources, pesticides are rarely selective and kill beneficial species as well, like pollinators and soil-dwelling microorganisms contributing to its fertility. Recent researches report decreased farmland bird and bee populations due to heavy insecticides in industrial agriculture, being a significant threat to further farming business and ecology in general. Hormones mitigating plant diseases are another harmful issue of intensive farming.

What are the benefits of industrial agriculture?

Benefits Of Industrial Agriculture. The main advantage of intensive farming is its increased performance when higher yields are harvested from smaller territories. This brings economic benefits to landowners and provides food for the growing population. Intensive agriculture fully satisfies the market demand even in densely inhabited areas.

What does reduced diversity of crops mean?

Furthermore, reduced diversity of crops due to this fundamental industrial agriculture practice means better pest establishment and development of their resistance to controls applied. This results in extreme use of chemicals (often critical to humans and nature) and stronger option introductions.

What Is Industrial Agriculture?

The concept of industrial agriculture implies increased use of farmlands to produce the highest yields possible to gain profit and support human food needs.

Benefits Of Industrial Agriculture

The main advantage of intensive farming is its increased performance when higher yields are harvested from smaller territories. This brings economic benefits to landowners and provides food for the growing population. Intensive agriculture fully satisfies the market demand even in densely inhabited areas.

Disadvantages Of Industrial Agriculture

The highest crops come with some drawbacks though. Traditional intensive agriculture neither aligns with the sustainability concept nor contributes to nature protection, so intensive farming problems require serious consideration.

EOS Crop Monitoring

Performing fields analytics based on relevant satellite data to ensure effective decision-making!

How Does Intensive Farming Reduce Biodiversity?

Industrial agriculture is certainly useful in terms of food security. However, its methods are far from beneficial to the environment. Shortened flora and fauna populations represent a significant disadvantage. It mainly happens due to agrochemical applications and monocropping practices.

Technologies In Intensive Agriculture

Innovations greatly facilitate agriculturalists’ efforts and save farmers’ costs. Precision farming is extremely helpful in industrial agriculture and is part of the business-as-usual practices of many enterprises nowadays.

Crop Monitoring To Help In Intensive Farming

Industrial agriculture implies heavy exploitation of land aiming to ensure sufficient food supplies. With all respect to nature, humankind cannot reject this practice completely. However, mitigation of risks and negative consequences is possible with smart solutions and precision agriculture, in particular.

What is industrial agriculture?

Industrial agriculture is a form of food production that treats a farm like a factory that produces animal products. The primary objective of factory farming is to maximize yield and profit. Economic rewards generally supersede environmental, health, and animal welfare concerns. To enjoy the benefits of economies of scale, ...

Is industrial agriculture a necessary evil?

It is commonly argued that industrial agriculture is a necessary evil in the world. Proponents contend that industrial agriculture's efficiency and ability to produce huge quantities of products using less space are pivotal to feeding hungry nations throughout the world.

How does crop farming affect the environment?

There is soil depletion and soil infertility related to monoculture, soil erosion, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, increased greenhouse gas emissions (particularly methane and nitrous oxide) from cow digestion and manure as well as nitrogen-based fertilizers, and pesticide overuse leading to potential pesticide toxicity (especially in farmworkers). Studies show that employees of CAFOs are at risk from potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria; workers can also bring these bacteria home. Farmworkers and local communities can also be exposed to hazardous fumes wafting from unlined, uncovered pits of animal waste and other sources. And despite the fact that CAFOs often must meet permitting requirements and are regulated by both state and federal agencies, NRDC has discovered a worrying lack of transparency. Discrepancies between data collected by states and the EPA suggest the EPA is unaware of the size, number, and location of CAFOs across the country and what those operations are doing to control pollution. And that’s just for starters. Here are some areas of particular concern.

How much manure was produced in 2012?

In 2012 livestock and poultry raised in the largest CAFOs in the United States produced 369 million tons of manure, according to an analysis of USDA figures done by Food & Water Watch. All that waste has to go somewhere.

Why is monoculture bad for the soil?

Monoculture also renders the soil prone to rapid erosion, since the practice leaves the soil bare outside of the crop’s growing season. Perhaps more problematically, repeatedly planting the same crop invites pests that prey on a certain plant to wait around the same spot for their favorite food to return.

Why do industrial farms use antibiotics?

Industrial farms overuse antibiotics, feeding large amounts of the drugs—often the same ones used to treat human illnesses—to healthy animals to help them survive in crowded, dirty CAFOs. Low-level exposure to antibiotics creates the perfect breeding ground for superbugs, those pathogens that antibiotics can’t kill.

What is industrial agriculture?

Industrial agriculture is the large-scale, intensive production of crops and animals, often involving chemical fertilizers on crops or the routine , harmful use of antibiotics in animals (as a way to compensate for filthy conditions, even when the animals are not sick). It may also involve crops that are genetically modified, ...

How long has agriculture been around?

Human agriculture has existed for about 12,000 years, and industrial farming is less than a century old. But the latter has become so prevalent that sustainable farming practices are now sometimes branded “alternative.”

What did ancient farmers plant?

Ancient farmers planted seeds from only the sweetest fruits, generation after generation, ensuring that any genetic variations that increased sweetness survived. By selecting plants with increasingly white, increasingly tiny, flowers, farmers turned a weedy little herb into cauliflower. It was slow but effective.

WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE?

Industrial agriculture refers to growing plants and raising animals at large scales for the purpose of maximizing food production. To achieve this goal, farms rely on synthetic chemical inputs to boost productivity and—when possible—mechanization of manual processes.

THE RISE OF INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE

Industrial agriculture traces its inception to the Industrial Revolution in the US. Increasing mechanization coupled with the development of synthetic fertilizers made larger-scale agriculture possible by boosting yields of crops and finetuning animal nutrition.

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE?

Some characteristics of industrial agriculture are easy to see, while others take place less visibly. In either case, the hallmarks of industrial agriculture described below have far-reaching impacts.

WHY IS INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE PROBLEMATIC?

Industrial agricultural practices are often presented as necessary for feeding growing human populations around the world because they increase crop yields. But it is important to understand that a healthy food system is about more than producing large volumes of calories.

WHERE IS INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE MOST COMMON?

The US is the birthplace of industrial agriculture and remains the global leader in industrial farming. Despite recent consumer interest in more humane and sustainable options, one study estimates that nearly 99% of all animals raised for food in the US still come from CAFOs.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES TO INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE?

Sustainable agriculture has been gaining interest and traction, especially as the impacts of industrial food production are becoming ever clearer. Sustainable farming can help to preserve resources like soil and water and can enable local economies to flourish.

CONCLUSION

Industrial agriculture’s impacts will only continue to worsen without interventions to prevent high-input monocrop farming and cruel CAFOs from spreading to more locations around the world.