Industrial Revolution: Genetically Modified Organism

Agriculture is,“the science, art, or occupation concerned with cultivating land, raising crops, and feeding, breeding, and raising livestock; farming,” and has been the way of life for many people since the beginning of time (Dictionary.com, web). During the 18th century, the industrial revolution took agriculture as we know it for a major turn. The new machinery and techniques allowed for fewer, bigger commercial farms instead of each individual family being forced to farm for their own means of survival. Even if the industrial revolution was the most prominent series of advancements, there are still many succeeding changes after 1945 that will influence history forever (bbbbbbbbbb).
In the 71 years since World World II agriculture has changed
in almost every way possible. All post WWII agricultural advancements have permanently influenced the history of our nation, everything from economics, technology, machinery, crops, livestock, and even life on the farm.
As the Cold War unraveled, America experienced phenomenal economic growth. After thriving during WWII, the United States returned to its position as the world’s richest country, more and more Americans now considered themselves part of the middle class (fffff). And you know what a prosperous economy means, a baby boom. With a growing population and extra money for research new farm technology is invented to create more efficient methods to feed the nation. Individual farms quickly go from feeding an average of 10.7 people a year to 100 people a year, commercializing the few farms that are needed (bbbbbbbbbbbbbb).
Technology played a very important part in the thriving economy. For example, the use of commercial fertilizer nearly doubled shortly after the war, resulting in close to 22,340,666 tons a year. The number of tractors and machinery also exceeds the number of horses and mules for the first time in history. Another life changing advancement occurred at the end of the 1980’s; With a 35-foot sweep disk, 30-foot drill, 25-foot self-propelled combine, and a tractor it only took three labor hours to produce 100 bushels of wheat. Lastly, one of the most astonishing inventions to this day, is the ability to track and plan crops with satellite technology (bbbbbb).
Every single piece of machinery has advanced no matter how drastic, but according to Darryl Snyder the transfer from the haybine to the discbine was the most life changing. Having experience with both, he described the haybine’s blades as rows of scissors and the discbine’s blades as rows of weedeaters. The design of the haybine required a slow speed to work properly and it still clogged easily. But the discbine on the other hand, can reach faster speeds, allows for a cleaner cut, and will not get clogged as it destroys anything and everything in it’s path (dds).
The majority of the crops you see on the side of the road will never end up on your table, but the ones that will probably contain GMO’s.
A GMO is a “genetically modified organism: an organism or microorganism whose genetic material has been altered by means of genetic engineering,” (Dictionary.com, web). There is nothing wrong with GMO’s, they simply allow for better taste, better quality, and bigger proportions in our food. In today’s society everyone wants the next bigger and better thing, which is what GMO’s allow. However, for some reason people seem to prefer “organic” selections. Nevertheless, GMO’s are a huge advance in ag and will continue to appear in the future
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Livestock have become more genetically stable as the years go on and pedigrees becoming more controllable. The main reason behind this is selective breeding. The ability for geneticists to choose compatible dams and sires allows for better quality animals. Breeding through AI, artificial insemination, has influenced history greatly because you can choose by whom and when you want to breed your heifer. You can also breed using a dead bull if you have collected and frozen their semen. Select Sires is a worldwide corporation that does this very thing for farmers everywhere who might not want the bother of a bull on their farm or worry about when the heifer goes in heat (ccccc).
Life on the farm is nearly identical to life off the farm.
Of course city folk don’t wake up at five in the morning to milk, or spend their summers harvesting wheat, but the changes that affect the farmers most greatly are the same that change in the real world as well. As internet, vehicles, phones, and televisions become more accessible, the benefits become very evident. The internet allows you to check the weather, which is a huge factor in the world of farming and working the land. Vehicles aren’t just cars and trucks either, tractors, combines, trailers, I couldn’t imagine living without these things and still lead a successful life as a farmer. Phones allow you to call the veterinary in emergencies, and televisions make the long winters of laying around more enjoyable
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All of these recent accomplishments seem to be unsurpassable, but the future looks promising. Although, a UK reporter claimed one out of three youth couldn’t tell you what bacon comes from. As farms become few and far between people become less aware of the world around them, which could eventually come back to haunt us. Even the majority of adults who grew up on or around ranches and farms haven’t been back in ten to twenty years. As lead chief executive Caroline Drummond said, “our farmers not only play an important role in food production but are passionate about engaging and reconnecting consumers too.”
In conclusion, economics, technology, machinery, crops, livestock, and life on the farm have advanced drastically since 1945. They have all influenced our history in some way already and will continue to change the face of agriculture as we know it. In the words of Allan Savory, “Agriculture is not crop production as popular belief holds - it's the production of food and fiber from the world's land and waters. Without agriculture it is not possible to have a city, stock market, banks, university, church or army. Agriculture is the foundation of civilization and any stable economy,” (bq).