Commercial Arable Farming
Seeds
Breeders keep bringing out new varieties that are more productive than their predecessors. This is achieved in several areas, better resistance to disease, better standing power (we do not want crops flat on the ground at harvest time) greater tonnage with better quality characteristics.
The future is genetic modification (GM) assuming this is put in place with the appropriate level of environmental sensitivity and consequential research. The simple fact is that if it can be made to work we will be able to design plants that will no longer need spraying. These plants will be specifically designed to withstand the diseases and predators in the environment in which they are grown. The only sprays required will be roundup (which biodegrades naturally within ten days) to control all weeds growing in the crop and an herbicide that kills the volunteer crop after harvest. We are talking of an organic utopia. No wonder the Organic lobbies having invested in there so called conversion are so opposed to cheap organic food for all. We are talking vested interests, no moral high ground here. The other major plus of GM is the potential to design crops for the specific purpose of industrial end use such as medicines plastics and oil.
The benefit other than renew ability of these organic products would be to take significant arable acres away from growing food. The result might be to see slightly more expensive food, good for this vested interest!
Factors
Commercial agriculture contains six key factors:
1. Location
Commercial farms must move their products to market. Farms need to be located near transportation systems. Trucks, ships, planes, and trains are several ways that products can be moved from where they are grown or made to where customers can buy them.
2. Climate
A farm's soil, as well as the climate of the region in which it is located, determine what crops will grow there or whether the land can support livestock. The temperature and rainfall can also
Breeders keep bringing out new varieties that are more productive than their predecessors. This is achieved in several areas, better resistance to disease, better standing power (we do not want crops flat on the ground at harvest time) greater tonnage with better quality characteristics.
The future is genetic modification (GM) assuming this is put in place with the appropriate level of environmental sensitivity and consequential research. The simple fact is that if it can be made to work we will be able to design plants that will no longer need spraying. These plants will be specifically designed to withstand the diseases and predators in the environment in which they are grown. The only sprays required will be roundup (which biodegrades naturally within ten days) to control all weeds growing in the crop and an herbicide that kills the volunteer crop after harvest. We are talking of an organic utopia. No wonder the Organic lobbies having invested in there so called conversion are so opposed to cheap organic food for all. We are talking vested interests, no moral high ground here. The other major plus of GM is the potential to design crops for the specific purpose of industrial end use such as medicines plastics and oil.
The benefit other than renew ability of these organic products would be to take significant arable acres away from growing food. The result might be to see slightly more expensive food, good for this vested interest!
Factors
Commercial agriculture contains six key factors:
1. Location
Commercial farms must move their products to market. Farms need to be located near transportation systems. Trucks, ships, planes, and trains are several ways that products can be moved from where they are grown or made to where customers can buy them.
2. Climate
A farm's soil, as well as the climate of the region in which it is located, determine what crops will grow there or whether the land can support livestock. The temperature and rainfall can also