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Use Of Computers In Agriculture

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Technological advances have brought about drastic changes in farming and animal husbandry resulting in tremendous increase in production capacity. The most common use of computers has been in replacing human effort and intervention in traditional farming machinery and other equipment. In addition, even the support functions for farming such as delivery of machinery, fertilizers and production of raw products have been successfully automated. But all these are just the labor-saving, basic uses that have been around even before the turn of the century. If computers have changed the ways of farming, then the Internet has only doubled that pace of change.

Applications of Computing Technologies in Agriculture

In today’s times, agriculture is not just about crop production or livestock farming and associated activities. The challenges brought forth by ecological factors affecting the environment need to be a major consideration for any kind of farming activity. Farmers need to preempt environmental impact due to climate change and this is where modern technology comes to the rescue.
Farmland Assessment
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are being used for developing ranking systems that evaluate land and provide a site assessment to aid what is now known as precision agriculture. These hi-tech, interactive systems provide information based on a variety of factors such as soil conditions, drainage and slope conditions, soil pH and nutrient status, etc. Prior to the use of these systems, farmers were often in the dark about soil output, and unpredictable weather conditions affecting crop quality and profitability. Precision agriculture provides farmers with control by predicting vital information including fertilizer application and problems with drainage, insects, and weeds. Most government websites provide this kind of information free of cost, covering agricultural land masses across the United States. Global Positioning System (GPS) based technologies also help to monitor irrigation, field mapping, soil sampling, tractor guidance and crop scouting. This kind of technology equips farmers with enough information to increase crop yield in a manner that is consistent with the best environmental practices for sustainable agriculture.

Autonomous Farm Equipment and Tractors

Automated farm equipment, needless to say, scores over human controlled equipment in terms of consistency and reliability. Engine and machine functions such as transmission and hydraulic power output are controlled using microchips built into the equipment. Guidance technology is already being widely used in self-propelled equipment to aid crop seeding and fertilizer application. Automated feeding systems, computerized milk collection and milking machines have been around since the late 20th century, resulting in better economic yield for the dairy industry as well as livestock production. Automated tractors are probably not far away.

Farm Software

With regard to livestock farming, ready-made computer applications are available to track individual animals, storing and evaluating information such as age, health records, milk production, offspring productivity, and reproductive cycle status. This is often called herd recording. Similarly, most farm accounting software and other computer applications in agriculture provide services for record keeping, simulation of prediction-based models using that data, revenue and productivity estimation and reporting to aid in making decisions. Most farm software vendors provide you with an option to customize their applications to the specific needs of your farm or ranch.

Internet Forums, Social Networking and Online Knowledge Bases

Any business in the world that you can think of, has benefited from the advent and global reach of the Internet and related communication technologies (mobile computing, e-commerce etc.). Agriculture is no different. Imagine leveraging the power of the Internet to connect with farmers, agriculturists and agricultural scientists and other experts spread across the globe from the comfort of your own farmland or ranch. There are several forums and social networking sites on the Internet where farmers can connect with other farmers and farming experts and exchange know-how. In addition, there are several learning repositories serving as knowledge bases to provide information on a wide variety of agricultural topics. These avenues serve to reduce the rural digital divide, influence public policies, foster partnerships and connect all stakeholders across the agricultural value chain. For instance, a farmer can easily seek out and connect with an agricultural entrepreneur and begin the exchange of ideas or business proposals. Information such as price review for grain and livestock, pest information, real-time weather information (precipitation, temperature, humidity, solar radiation, wind speed, soil moisture and soil temperature) in any part of the world is literally available on one’s fingertips.

E-agriculture

An emerging field of agricultural practices, e-agriculture focuses on coming up with innovative ways and best practices to use the existing information and communication technologies (ICTs) for sustainable agricultural development and food safety standards, particularly in rural areas. E-agriculture encompasses other related technological fields such as agricultural informatics, agricultural development and business. It aims to deploy all available technologies (computers, mobile computing, satellite systems, smart cards) for the empowerment of farmers and strengthening of partnerships across the food value chain.

The uses of computers in agriculture do have some real constraints such as, the lack of hardware and software infrastructure, training and skills, and research priorities. However, once these are overcome, the use of computers transcends automation and software application. In fact, it could be instrumental in bridging the rural digital divide and bringing prosperity to agriculturists not only in the United States, but also in other developing and emerging economies around the world.

http://www.electrocomputerwarehouse.com

Paleo Diet Problems With A Pre-agricultural Diet

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The Paleo Diet or Paleolithic Diet is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. This controversial diet regimen advocates eating only foods that would have been available before the advent of agriculture, some 10,000 years ago or so.

While many agree that there is some valid science behind the claims made by the advocates of the Paleo Diet, a variety of current issues such as economics, culturally traditional diets, available food sources, population growth, and environmental impact seem to be ignored.

Proponents of the Paleo Diet claim that a variety of civilization diseases would be eliminated through the reversion to a pre-agricultural diet. These include, among others, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Voices in opposition to the claims made for the diet often cite short life spans as evidence refuting claims for the positive aspects of the diet. Both groups base their arguments on carefully selected and opposing work by archaeologists.

Current medical and social science indicates that a wide variety of factors have impact on these diseases. Obesity and Type 2 diabetes, as well as many of the other health issues, result from the limited choices available to families with low incomes in industrialized countries, notably the United States.

With fast food the most affordable and most accessible source of calories, eating habits centered around unhealthy foods are understandable. The socio-economic impact of poverty is not apparent in the discussion by Paleo Diet proponents regarding civilization diseases.

The ability of the planet to sustain a ready and affordable supply of healthy meat and fish to the worlds population is extremely unlikely. The conversion of plant matter to beef is generally agreed to be 100 lbs. (about 45.4 kg) of plant mass for every 10 lbs. (about 4.5 kg) of beef.

When the population of the planet was measured in the hundreds of thousands or even a few millions, widespread consumption of meat might have been reasonable. As we wend our way toward the nine billion mark, a diet consisting of 50% animal protein is not going to work.

For those who choose a diet including a large percentage of meat, it might be important to consider the methods of raising the animals. For those that can afford the cost, range-fed animals can be a great source of protein.

The reliance on factory-farm animals and poultry which often are injected or fed various antibiotics, hormones, and unnatural foods makes including these as a large part of ones diet something of a risk. Sadly, even fish and shellfish are occasionally a risk as they can absorb mercury and other toxics caused by industrial pollution.

The claims of the Paleo Diet advocates that a post agricultural diet is unhealthy choose to ignore such traditional cuisines as might be found in Japan, India, Greece, and Italy. Their claims ignore the excellent health and longevity of cultures that have adapted a diet of legumes and grains as staples. Statistics that seem to support the Paleo Diet may be derived from Western culture where the preponderance of processed food and fast food precludes a healthy diet.

A broad view of diet is important for healthy and enjoyable eating. Concerns in addition to eating might include affordability, environmental impact, and quality.

To many, the Paleo Diet may seem an elitist diet accessible only to those wealthy enough to buy quantities of range-fed, organic meat.
To others, current science appears to demonstrate that a diet heavily dependent on grains and legumes is both healthy and affordable.
Whatever your choice, it is important to enjoy good food and eat a balanced diet of wholesome food.

Agriculture Chemicals

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After all it is the question of our needs

conventionally agricultural industry is demanding and resource based. It is even comfortable if environment is good and healthy resources are available. Agriculture marketplace presents a significant revenue earning sources. It was revealed that more than twenty thousand farmers sold their agricultural harvest in diverse marketplaces internationally.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set further several approaches for improved promotion of a variety of farming harvest.

The USDA or United States Department of Agriculture has launched the farmers marketplace association, as a capital to explain the farmers with improved presentations for developing better advertising scopes. The USDA or else United States Department of Agriculture, furthermore supports the farmers in establishing information regarding finance capital.

Straight crop growing marketplace having agricultural harvest and their selling provides as a significant means for the different farming crops all through the country.

Crop growing marketplace agricultural harvests is on the climb and getting reputation in advance. The increase in reputation can be recognized to the truth that more and more people are selecting for clean groceries yield.

Crop growing marketplace is predisposed by quite a few reasons which may comprise the subsequent:

Farmers owing small farms:

Farmers whose annual receipt is underneath three lakh dollars, farm and bring away their individual farming procedures drop in this group.

analysis has established that something like more than four thousand crop growing marketplace performing in the United States of America which involves an enhancement by about eighteen percent as evaluated to just about three thousand crop growing market in the year 2004.

The Farmers Market Promotion Program or else the FMPP were placed up as indication of a most recent improvement of farmer to customer straight marketing act 1976.

The FMPP programs are intended at getting better and for the development of farmers from the domestic marketplace, farming agendas maintained by population. There are numerous crop growing marketplace assignments dealing with investigation.

The crop growing marketplace ventures dealing with investigation intends at improving the farming marketplace internationally and as well aspires at the enhancement and betterment of the cultivation marketplace.

URL: http://www.made-from-india.com/article/Agriculture-Chemicals-858.html

Pollination And Agriculture

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Furthermore, the intestinal contents, the mouthparts and structure of the wings of certain beetles and fliessuggest that they must have acted as pollinators. The first floral pollination syndromes, emerged.
The association between beetles and angiosperms in the Cretaceous early evolutionary radiations took both salt and others in the late Cretaceous. The evolution of nectaries or organs producing nectarsignal the beginning of an insect mutualism between hymenopterans and angiosperms.
In agriculture , the desire for fruit or seed in abundance has led most of the time to use plants that are not dependent and external vectors for pollination, or at least used as a vector overflowing wind . For example, most cereals are anemgamos or directly self-pollinated. However, many agricultural crops worldwide (for example, many fruits and vegetables ) are dependent on pollination by insects and other animals.
It is a mistake to believe that pollination is a “free ecological service” of nature. Effective pollination needs some resources, such as shelters natural vegetation and habitats suitable for pollinators. When these are reduced or lost, limiting the activity of pollinators and adaptive management practices needed to maintain livelihoods.
Indeed, worldwide agricultural biodiversity and agroecosystem faces the danger that pollinator populations are declining. The main cause of this problem are the fragmentation of habitats, agricultural and industrial chemicals, the parasites and diseases , and the introduction of exotic species . In California , producers of almonds honey bees usually imported from other states of the United States to ensure the pollination of their crops. This transport can contribute to epidemics.
It’s called bee flora , flora nectfera or flora polinfera to all plants, shrubs and herbs that inhabit a particular region and are of economic interest forbeekeeping .
The economic importance of the bee flora is that not all plant species are of interest for beekeeping. Under a species may be very nectfera but may have a low weighting in the number of individuals per hectare, use a hive that has on the plant species is of low economic importance. Other plants make a great contribution of pollen , but their flowers delivered little nectar .
The staggering of flowering is also an important factor, there are plants that bloom early, and encourage the hive to start playing and there are plant species that make it on throughout the year. While most flowers in spring and summer season.
Beekeepers in the course of generations know the bee flora of each site, using the same, even at the cost of removal or transhumance of their hives, at the end of achieving a staggering nectferos and resources of pollen.
Depending on the country or continent where beekeeping is practiced, the beekeeper knows to make the transhumance of hives from the valley to the mountain meadows. Or move north or south (depending on the hemisphere ) to take advantage of the flora of tropical or subtropical origin plus. He knows the timing or phenology of each plant species flower, you want to explode. It’s very different honeys produced in forests, grasslands or honey.
It is simpler to produce honey in widespread crop in the world by man, by virtue that it is feasible to manage the phenological cycles of the same and just change the planting season if we are in one hemisphere or the other.

http://www.yongefloristmarkham.ca/

Increased Production Leverage With Agriculture Machinery For Your Farm

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Agriculture machinery is a term used to refer to all equipments, tools and machines that are used to aide production on the farm. It is amazing that in the whole of the United States, a mere 2% of the total population is able to feed the rest of the 98% population! This has been so because of the agricultural machineries in place.

The technological advancement in the manufacture of the machinery is on the upward trend. Tractors have had major advancements; computer monitoring systems, GPS locators, and self-steer programs. It is possible that in the near future, little human intervention will be needed to work on the firm given advancements such as nanotechnology and genetic engineering where submicroscopic devices and biological processes respectively are being used to perform tasks on the farm. These are tools which have made it possible for almost accurate precision in carrying out functions thus optimum efficiency is achieved on the farm. Less fuel and fertilizer among other inputs in the course of production are used thus increasing returns on investments.

So what are key points to keep in mind to achieve leverage with agriculture machinery?

Take a thorough look at your farm, your assets versus your liabilities, and opportunities versus your threats. If necessary, get the help from experts so that you come up with a good strategic plan. Let everyone on the farm get involved in the whole process.

Get to determine what machinery is necessary to achieve the targets and smart goals that are laid down in the strategic plan. There are those immediate ones while other machineries may follow later at other stages of the agriculture process on the farm.

Once the machinery is determined, research around the market to determine which would be the best machine at the best price. This should also be checked against the return on investment for each of the machines. Be careful with cheap machines, they may not last. At the same time, good machines can be gotten at pretty cheap prices if care is taken to research for prices.

Once the machines are purchased, proper care should be taken while the machines are in use. This will ensure maximization of the machines utility period. In some cases, farmers have been able to use the machines beyond its life period.

Keep checking on popular web sites and online agricultural magazines for any new technologies in the industry as this will continue to ensure high levels of productivity at a cheaper price.

Agriculture machinery has been a source of economic leverage for investors in the agriculture sector. A continuous research on the internet sites together with other resources and development of the agriculture machineries will increase profits for the investor. Proper planning is needed to guide one into procuring the best machinery for the specific farm.