It’s no secret that property rights are a core element of western civilization and capitalistic societies. These property rights define how goods and services can be used, traded, or saved. Both individual and larger entities can own property and they can choose to use (or not use) that property however they wish. This is of…
Although much of the original motivation to settle America was fueled by a divine imperative to ‘go forth and conquer’ in the name of God, domestic farm policy also played a large role in motivating both citizens and newly arrived immigrants to settle the lands of the vast unknown. This began in the 1800s when…
Agriculture has been the backbone of communities throughout the United States since the birth of the nation. While the field has been wrought with controversy, it can also be considered innovative in many respects. Agricultural education is one of these areas… Until the mid-1800s, universities in the United States were mostly private organizations that focused…
Perhaps you have heard the term open-source. Maybe you heard about it within the context of software and technology as the open-source movement originated within the software development community as a means to encourage innovation and knowledge sharing. As such, the open-source concept is best-known within the technological paradigm. However, the essence of open-source can…
Discover the advantages and disadvantages of agribusiness, from efficiency and economic growth to corporate control, market barriers, and sustainability concerns.
Good or bad, agribusiness is an undeniable part of the agricultural landscape. We often associate the concept with (bad) industry practices and giant corporations. These associations aren’t wrong, but there is so much more to agribusiness than widely- known cultural giants with poor social and environmental track records. So, what does agribusiness really mean? The…
Historically speaking, agriculture has been treated as a single, unified sector in which existing market mechanisms (most commonly government intervention) enabled the coordination of production and distribution. This approach failed to account for the activities engaged in by private entities, e.g. farmers or industries working with farmers. The common understanding of agriculture as a sector…
As the world’s population grows and alternative values and interests come to light, the name- and facelessness of current approaches to agricultural production have become a point of contention and are less and representative of contemporary societal values (1). As a response, localism has become a standard component of emerging social and technological trends. Localism…
In 1920, more than half of the United States’ population were farmers. They lived a peasant life in rural communities and were skilled in a range of animal rearing and crop production skills. Farmers tended to embrace natural complementaries between the unique components of the farm to establish healthy food production systems. Most farm work…
The mass migration of people from rural to urban spaces throughout the world has brought a number of benefits and challenges. Economic opportunities and exposure to new cultures and experiences have provided people with the chance to lead more diverse lives and expand ties of communication. However, the burgeoning urban populations remain highly dependent on…