AGRICULTURE

1
SPEAKING OUT FOR
A G R I C U L T U R E
AGRICULTURE

FOOD SAFETY
GA Ag Ed Curriculum Office To accompany Georgia
Agriculture Curriculum Lesson June, 2002
2
LIVING LONGER
The average life expectancy in the U.S. today is
76.1 years, compared with 70 years in 1960, 60
years in 1930, and 47 years in 1900.
3
INCOME SPENT ON FOOD
United States 11 2 France 28 14 Russia
37 32 Brazil 47 44 Yugoslavia 39 5
3 India 64 68
Percent of income spent on food
Percent of population in agriculture
4
GROCERY COSTS
Cost of a typical bag of groceries United
States 18.79 Great Britain 23.19 Italy 2
7.38 Spain 28.14 France 30.10 China
74.23
5
ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURE

• Food production has increased 230 since 1940
• Todays farmer feeds 129 people, as compared to
  25 people in 1960
• Americans would spend 195 billion more on food
  with 1950s technology

6
U.S. EXPORTS
American agricultural exports total more than 6
million per day
The U.S. provides 19 of all cotton, 49 of all
soybeans, 12 of all wheat and 36 of all corn
7
WORLD OUTLOOK

• World population will peak at 8.5 billion people
  in 2035, from todays 6 billion and 1980s 4.3
  billion
• The world must produce as much food in the
  next 40 - 80 years as the past 12000 years - and
  on less land
• Only 7 of Earths surface is available for
  farming

8
HOW CAN WE DO IT?

• Hybrid Seeds
• Fertilizer
• Food Biotechnology
• Food Crop Protectants

9
WITHOUT MODERNTECHNOLOGY

• U.S. food production would decline 30
• Americans would spend 30 more of income on food
• U.S. exports would be eliminated causing U.S.
  balance of trade to drop by 4 Billion
• Millions of people would starve

10
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT FOOD SAFETY?
Am I being exposed to crop protection chemicals
by eating fruits and vegetables?
11
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT FOOD SAFETY?
Am I in danger of developing cancer from
carcinogens found in my produce?
12
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT FOOD SAFETY?

• 150 pound adult could eat 875 pounds of broccoli
  every day
• Natural carcinogens are present in mushrooms,
  parsley, basil, celery, cola, coffee, wine, beer,
  mustard, peanut butter, bread and lima beans to
  name a few
• Consumption of fruits and vegetables plays a key
  role in REDUCING the risk of cancer and heart
  disease

13
WE NEEDCROP PROTECTANTS

• Crops compete with 80,000 plant diseases, 30,000
  weed species, 10,000 insects and 3,000 worms
• We would spend 30 - 40 more of our income on
  food without them
• Insects destroy enough grain to feed 1/2 the
  population of Africa - even with crop protectants

14
WHAT FOOD AND HEALTH EXPERTS SAY
I tell my children to feed my grandchildren
whatever they buy. They need not be afraid of
any pesticide residue on food thats bought in
the marketplace in the U.S. because its
regulated. I eat it all the time. Dr. C
Everett Koop, Former U.S. Surgeon General it
seems the only people who want us to have
pesticide free produce are the ones who dont
remember when all we had was pesticide free
produce. Art Ginsburg, Syndicated Food Expert
15
CONCLUSION

• Crop protectants will enable food production to
  thrive in the face of increasing world population
  and decreasing farm land.
• We must encourage the expansion of high yield
  farming methods.
• Like any other industry, Agriculture must
  continue to evolve with technology to meet the
  ever-increasing demand for food.
• U.S. food supply is safe and abundant.

16
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