The Importance of Agriculture to Society

1 The Importance of Agricultureto SocietyAGRICULTUREin the United Statesprovides jobs and other important, however, agricultureprovides food, clothing, and a productive Agriculture , thenation and its people would not enjoythe same quality of : 1. Definequality of Discuss modern Agriculture s role in basic human List agricultural products used to provide Identify agricultural products used to provide Identify agricultural products used to provide human Terms: Quality of LifeQuality of lifeis the general standard of living of a group of people. The term oftenrelates to the people in a region or country. Quality of life includes the amount of money avail-able and the ability to obtain goods and services. Housing, nutrition, health care, education,environmental health, happiness, and other indicators may be a part of quality of : The Importance of Agriculture to SocietyPage by CAERT, Inc. Reproduction by subscription Pyramid Plannutrientproteinsquality of lifevitaminswoolQuality of life is associated with the availability offood, clothing, and housing.

2 Agriculture has a majorrole in quality of life. An abundance of wholesomefood products available at a reasonable cost contributesto a high quality of life. The same is said for clothingand of Agriculture inHuman NutritionAgriculture provides most of the food humans con-sume. This food furnishes nutrients that nourish thehuman body. A balance of food is needed to assurethat the body is receiving the proper nutrients. Thefood also needs to be wholesome and free of disease,pollution, and other substances or organisms thatcause AND NUTRITIONA nutrientis a substance that promotes growth and well-being. Without proper nutrients,a person may become ill, fail to grow properly, or die. The obtaining of proper nutrients isknown as nutrition. The foods consumed by an individual provide major nutrients needed by the human body and examples of food sources that providethem Proteinsare the nutrients needed for growth and repair of tissues in thebody. They are especially important with babies, children, and teenagers, though all adultsneed some protein.

3 Sources of protein include milk, lean meat, fish, and beans, peas, nuts,and other Carbohydratesare the nutrients that provide energy for the body tomove and carry out its functions. Carbohydrates are not as concentrated as fats. Carbohy-drates are often divided into three categories: sugars, starches, and fiber. Sources of carbo-hydrates include potatoes, pasta, and Fatsare nutrients that contain high amounts of energy. They provide energy forthe body to move and carry out life functions. (Fats are also known as lipids.) Sources offats include meat, fish, and lard and vegetable oils. Most nutritionists recommend lowerlevels of fat intake to prevent health problems, such as obesity and clogged Mineralsare inorganic elements, such as calcium, phosphorus, and magne-sium. Eating a variety of foods will likely provide sufficient minerals, though some peopleE-unit: The Importance of Agriculture to SocietyPage by CAERT, Inc. Reproduction by subscription 1. Quality of life is supported by theavailability of wholesome food products.

4 (Courtesy, Department of Agriculture )take mineral supplements. Milk, fruit, leafy vegetables, and meat are among the sources Vitaminsare inorganic substances needed in small amounts to perform spe-cific functions in the body. Several kinds of vitamins are needed, such as A, B, C, D, E,and K. Sources of vitamins include fruits and Water is needed by the human body to regulate body temperature and promoteprocesses in the body. Each person should consume the recommended amount of watereach day. Nearly all agricultural products contain some water, but they are not the majorsource of water for the human should refer to a nutrition guide for theamounts of nutrients they should PLANThe Department of Agriculture has developed aplan to guide food consumption to assure that individualsreceive the proper nutrients in their PyramidPlanis a graphic approach available via the Internet thathelps individuals choose the kinds and amounts of foods toconsume. The plan is based on age, gender, and level ofactivity.

5 Emphasis is on fewer calories and more OF SELECTED PRODUCTSThe Department of Agriculture compiles information on the consumption of foodproducts. The food intake of people varies by region, income, and age. Table 1 presents theaverage per person consumption of selected food products in the United States. Some peopleE-unit: The Importance of Agriculture to SocietyPage by CAERT, Inc. Reproduction by subscription 2. Steps to a healthier you includethe use of the My Pyramid Plan to helpmake smart choices in food consumption.(Courtesy, Department of Agriculture )FURTHER CONNECTION: My Pyramid PlanYou have specific needs for nutrients. How do you know what and how much to eat? You can plan yourown individual food guide using the My Pyramid Plan. The Department of Agriculture developed thisguide after receiving considerable input from human nutritionists and others. The foods to eat that will pro-vide you with the needed nutrients are based on your age, gender, and amount of physical activity.

6 Go tothe following Web site, click on My Pyramid Plan, and begin the process. Take the steps to a healthieryou. Prepare a short report on your more, and others less. Variations are due to age, preferences, and other factors. Yourpersonal food consumption pattern may not agree with that of all people 1. Annual Per Person Consumptionof Selected Food Products*Pounds**Agricultural Products/Foods165 Red meats (pork, beef, veal, and lamb and mutton)112 Poultry (chicken and turkey)33**Eggs585**Milk (cow s milk)272 Fruit, including grapes469 Vegetables and potatoes191 Rice, cereal, and flour products9 Peanuts and tree nuts28 Melons*The data have been rounded to remove fractions.**Average pounds consumed per person. Wild catch of fish and game are not included.**Converts to approximately 255 chicken eggs per person.**Converts to approximately 73 gallons of whole milk per : Department of Agriculture , Used for FoodProducts used for food are from two major sources: animals and plants.

7 Of course, a fewproducts that are not of animal or plant origin are used for food, but these are of small conse-quence overall in the United States. One example is mushrooms, which are fungi. In theUnited States, annual per person consumption of mushrooms is PRODUCTSA nimal products comprise an important source of food. The demand for animal productscreates large and important areas of animal Agriculture production. Meat, milk, and eggs are thethree most important groups of animal food Meatis the flesh of an animal used for food. Muscle tissue is most importantand most desired as meat. Meat is from several species of animals. Some meat is classifiedas red meat, and other as white meat. Red meat is from cattle, sheep (lamb and mutton),and hogs. White meat is from chickens, turkeys, and other birds. Fish and shellfish arealso white meat, though most of the time they are listed separately from chickens and tur-E-unit: The Importance of Agriculture to SocietyPage by CAERT, Inc.

8 Reproduction by subscription In recent years,improvements in pork qual-ity have resulted in someinterest in classifying it aswhite meat, but that hasn toccurred on a Milkis the whitishliquid secreted by the mam-mary glands of female mam-mals. It is a food high innutrients. Cow s milk is byfar the most widely con-sumed milk, though themilk of goats, sheep, andother species is sometimesused. The production ofmilk is known as dairy farm-ing. Milk is pasteurized andotherwise processed to assure its quality. Milk is commonly available in fluid form but isalso made into cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and other The primary eggs used for human consumption are those of chickens. Goose,duck, pea fowl, and other eggs may be used. Most eggs are infertile, meaning that they arenot developing embryos. Eggs are graded and marketed to assure uniformity and PRODUCTSW orldwide, about 600 species of plants areused as sources of food. In the United States, farfewer are major sources of food.

9 The parts ofplants used for food include seeds, leaves, roots,fruits, flowers, stems, and sap or , corn, and rice are seeds and the majorcereal grains used for food. Nuts, beans, coffee,and many other seeds are also used as food. Breadmade from wheat serves as a major food for include those of cabbage, spinach, tur-nips, lettuce, and other leafy vegetable include those of beets, carrots, radishes,turnips, and onions; some structures that grow onroots, such as potatoes, are also used as beets are a major source of sugar in theUnited : The Importance of Agriculture to SocietyPage by CAERT, Inc. Reproduction by subscription 3. Appropriately portioned and attractively packaged meat isavailable in modern supermarkets. (Courtesy, Department ofAgriculture)FIGURE 4. Strawberries are known for their nutrientcontributions to the human diet. (Courtesy, AgriculturalResearch Service, USDA)Many kinds of fruits are used for food. Citrus fruits include oranges, grapefruit, and lem-ons.

10 Among other fruits used as food are apples, pears, blackberries, tomatoes, strawberries,cantaloups, watermelons, cucumbers, and flowers are used for food than most of the other plant parts. Broccoli, cauliflower,and artichoke are three examples of flowers used for food. Some ornamental plants are alsoused as garnish to add appeal and color to food, including the pansy and used for food include celery, asparagus, and rhubarb. Stem portions are sometimesincluded with the leafy foods, such as cabbage and used as food may be extracted from other food sources for example, tomato juiceand orange juice. The juice of some plants is used for food, such as sap from sugar cane that isused to make sugar and syrup and sap from maple trees that is used for Used for ClothingProducts used for clothing, as with food, are from both animal and plant sources. Some spe-cies provide both food products and products for clothing, such as cottonseed oil and cottonfiber from the cotton PRODUCTSC lothing products are obtained from a number of animals.