Agricultural Resources

Agropolis-Museum
This site is an interactive timeline that explores the history of agriculture over the last 3 million years. The timeline includes the pre-agricultural times and civilizations, the development of agriculture around the world, and the agro-industrial era.

Story of Farming
This article provides an in-depth look at the history of agriculture over the last 10,000 years. The site is interactive and allows visitors to explore farm tools, agricultural societies, and images of various farm implements.

Growing a Nation
This site looks more specifically at the history of American agriculture after the arrival of Europeans. The site can be explored either by category or by time period.

BBC—History
This article discusses the common misconceptions about and reasons for the Agricultural Revolution in England between the years 1500 and 1850. It also provides a bibliography of additional resources on the same topic.

History of Horticulture
Biocyclopedia provides a detailed look at the history of horticulture and how it’s evolved over the years.

There are many different forms of agriculture. Some of the more common types of forms include farmers who cultivate food crops, such as wheat or soybeans, or farmers who grow cash crops, such as tobacco or cotton.

The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University sponsors a 4-H Club website with a section that offers virtual tours of a variety of farm types, such as poultry, dairy, horse, and wheat farms. These tours provide in-depth information about each industry.

However, there are many more types of farms than these and a few of the more unusual ones are listed below.

Aquaculture is the practice of raising aquatic life for the purpose of sale. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has compiled a more comprehensive explanation, as well as a short video explaining it in the United States.

Apiculture, also known as beekeeping, is the practice of raising bees in order to harvest their products, such as honey and beeswax—or for the services they can provide, such as pollination. The Encyclopedia.com provides a thorough introduction to this type of agriculture.

Forestry, sometimes called tree farming, is the practice of tending and harvesting timber for a variety of commercial purposes. The uses of timber include the production of lumber, furniture, and paper products. The United States Department of Agriculture has an excellent explanation of the challenges facing tree farmers.

Sericulture is the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk. This form of agriculture has been developed over thousands of years and has a rich history. University of Washington outlines how ancient Chinese civilizations used worms to produce silk.

The variety of agricultural equipment used today is staggering. The National Farm Machinery Show has a yearly demonstration that displays the future of farming equipment.

Early Farm Tools
This site offers information on a variety of historical farm tools as well as many links where you can learn more about how they were used.

Ancient and Medieval Farming
This article, written for kids, provides an easy-to-understand explanation of ancient agriculture in Greece. It includes images of the types of equipment used by early farmers and discusses types of crops grown by the ancient Greeks.

Agriculture
In this article, the government of the United Kingdom discusses the importance of agriculture, its safety risks, and how to keep the public safe.

The Importance of Agriculture to the UK
This article highlights the agriculture labor market and how agriculture has impacted the United Kingdom’s economy.

Environmental Cost of Shipping Groceries
This New York Times article discusses how transporting agricultural products around the world impacts the environment.

FoodSafety.gov
This website shares information on current U.S. laws relating to food, as well as news of safety alerts. It provides several channels for reader participation, including pages for readers who want to ask questions, comment on articles, and report food safety concerns.

Food Safety and Inspection Service
This government agency is tasked with ensuring the safety of the U.S. food supply. Its website offers detailed information on its efforts, as well as resources for consumers.

Exploring the history of agriculture is a powerful way to learn more about human societies, both past and present. In the past, the efficiency of a civilization's food production system largely determined whether that society thrived or declined. It is clear that effective agriculture will be equally important to future generations.

The National Agricultural Law Center
This website provides information about bills, court decisions, and federal laws and regulations relating to agriculture.

United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
This is the website of the committee tasked with creating the farm bills that directly affect the way agriculture develops in America.

World Trade Organization and Globalization Help Facilitate Growth
This article from Amber Waves explains how the World Trade Organization has encouraged growth in global agricultural trade.

Importing and Exporting Food
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers an extensive list of resources about importing food. This information covers food supply, regulations, and various rules and procedures.