Ohio State University, Lima
Biology 102, Group 2
Created By: Steven, Mandy, Andy, Jan

Issues In Agriculture

    There are many environmental issues facing agriculture today.  Although these issues are by no means new they are certainly becoming more of an issue as world leaders continually ignore them.  This site discusses a few of the issues that are becoming more of a threat to agriculture and food production in the world.  We will also state a few of the possible solutions for these problems.

The World's Shrinking Farmland

    One of the major problems facing agriculture today is farmland being taken out of agricultural production.  A reason for this is urban sprawling.  As the world population continues to grow the need for housing and transportation also increases.  Because of poor planning prime farmland is taken out of agriculture production and is used for houses and roads.  Unfortunately the land that is the best for building houses and other buildings is also the best farmland.
     In the 1960's, 70's, and early 80's yields were so high that a surplus of grain was produced.  In the mid to late 80's and early 90's yield gains slowed and pressures of land loss started to become more noticed.
     Some people believe that technology will keep advancing and that agriculture will be able to keep up with the demands for food.  Technology will keep advancing, but the total amount of land in the world supporting each person is about 1/6 the size of a soccer field.  If nothing is done about the planning of the use of land it is estimated that by the year 2020 the total amount of land supporting each person will drop to about 1/8 the size of a soccer field.  As population increases the demand for food gets greater.  If nothing is done to preserve the world's farm land there won't be enough land to support the world's population.

The total area of land supporting the world's population is 1/6 the size of a soccer field.  Can we afford it to shrink even less then that?

Is this what every window view in the world will see?

Helpful Websites:
     Sierra Club
     USDA report
   Facts about agriculture
   Facts on Urban Sprawl
     Why wory about sprwl?
  1997 State of the World