Agriculture (a term which encompasses farming) is the art, science or practice of producing food, feed, fiber and many other desired goods by the systematic raising of plants and animals. Agri is from Latin ager ("a field"), and culture is from Latin cultura, meaning "cultivation" in the strict sense of tillage of the soil. Thus a literal reading of the English word yields tillage of the soil of a field. In actual usage, Agriculture denotes a broad array of activities essential to food and material production, including all techniques for raising and processing livestock (see Animal husbandry) no less than those essential to crop planting and harvesting.

Continual improvement in agricultural methods from pre-history to the present has been the key factor in the extreme specialization of human activity during the historical epoch. Many of these specializations have nothing to do with food production, but when specialists such as scientists, inventors and mechanical and chemical engineers devote their efforts to the improvement of farming methods, resources and implements they too, along with those who work the fields and pens, are said to be "in agriculture".

42% (2002 estimate) of the world's population is employed in agriculture, making it by far the most common occupation, yet it accounts for only 4.4% (2005 estimate) of the Gross World Product (an aggregate of all Gross Domestic Products).^*

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USDA, Dairy Producers Forge Clean Energy Pact - Law360: The US Department of Agriculture has penned a deal with.. http://bit.ly/6Kitcu
elizabethowens1 (elizabeth owens) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:36:02 -0000
USDA, Dairy Producers Forge Clean Energy Pact - Law360: The US Department of Agriculture has penned a deal with.. http://bit.ly/6Kitcu
State agriculture joins social media outlets http://twa.lk/yYHXc
coolsocialmedia (Cool Social Media) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:35:13 -0000
State agriculture joins social media outlets http://twa.lk/yYHXc
Reading: "Rural Intelligence | Blogs: AgriCulture - AgriCulture: The Long and Winding Road to Turkana Farms"( http://twitthis.com/abxry4 )
wrappalicious (Global Wrapps) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:32:07 -0000
Reading: "Rural Intelligence | Blogs: AgriCulture - AgriCulture: The Long and Winding Road to Turkana Farms"( http://twitthis.com/abxry4 )
Agriculture is part of climate change solution http://bit.ly/7Rj3d0
SolarPowerToo (Alan Hopkins) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:29:37 -0000
Agriculture is part of climate change solution http://bit.ly/7Rj3d0
Did some quick studyin' for my Human Geo test on agriculture tomorrow. Only a couple of more days...only a couple of more days..............
phoebebebelee (Phoebe Lee) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:29:21 -0000
Did some quick studyin' for my Human Geo test on agriculture tomorrow. Only a couple of more days...only a couple of more days..............
U.S. Department of Agriculture will hold jobs forums Jan. 4-5 in Hawai'i (AP) http://bit.ly/8sgkwP http://bit.ly/5hpdpH
hawaiipage (Hawai'i Page) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:26:45 -0000
U.S. Department of Agriculture will hold jobs forums Jan. 4-5 in Hawai'i (AP) http://bit.ly/8sgkwP http://bit.ly/5hpdpH

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