Learning the Importance of Field Crops

1. Learning the Importance of Field Crops Unit 1, Lesson 6 Plant Science Lessons

2. Student Learning Objectives As a result of this lesson, the student will … • Objective #1 Learn the Important Field Crops in the United States. • Objective #2 Identify the primary states for field crop production. • Objective #3 Evaluate the factors for selection of field crops.

3. History of Crop Production Cultivation of the land and growing of crops began thousands of years ago. The need to produce food for the animals that humans had captured caused humans to change from hunters to farmers. Trial and error and thousands of years of selection have led to certain crops being grown today. Almost 450 million acres are used for crop production in the United States! Due the efficiency of the American Farmer, only 2 percent of the population is involved in the production of food and fiber.

4. Categories of Field Crops • There are three categories of field crops • grain crops • oil seed crops • specialty crops

5. Three major grain crops grown in the U.S. • Wheat • Corn • Rice

6. Other smaller grain crops include: Sorghum Barley Oats

7. Uses of Grain Crops

8. Oilseed Crops • Oilseed crops are those which are mainly grown for the production of oil from their seeds. Products from these seeds are becoming increasingly popular as people move away from consuming animal fats in their diet and move more towards plant oils.

9. Primary Oilseed Crops • The primary oilseed crops are soybeans, peanuts, corn, cottonseed, canola, safflower, flax and sunflower. • Which of these products are grown in Colorado?

10. What are specialty crops? • For the purposes of this lesson, fiber crops, forage crops, sugar crops and stimulant crops are categorized as specialty crops. • One may also consider vegetable crops as a specialty crop, but often these are considered to be a portion of horticulture production as well.

11. Fiber Crops • The primary fiber crop raised in the United States is cotton. There are approximately 15 million bales of cotton are harvested each year in this country. • What is the process called to remove the cotton seed from the cotton after harvest?

12. Forage Crops • Forage crops are utilized as roughage for livestock feed. • Crops include hay, alfalfa, and silages. • Why is roughage necessary for livestock?

13. Sugar Crops • Sugar beet production accounts for about 35 percent of the refined sugar produced in the United States. • The rest is produced by sugar cane. • How are the growing conditions different of these two crops?

14. Stimulant Crops • The primary stimulate crop grown in the United States is tobacco. • It is produced predominantly in the southern states of North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina Tennessee and Georgia. • Tobacco production is very labor intensive and is considered to be a cash crop (one that is grown strictly to sell for cash). • What climatic conditions are necessary • for high quality tobacco?

15. Objective 2 • Select color keys for the primary field crops. • Color the map accordingly for those states with the highest production!

16. Tips to selecting a field crop • Select crops that will produce desired yields under climate available • Crops should be adapted to the type of soil available • Consider the demand and availability of markets for the crop to be produced. • Assess labor requirements and the availability of labor necessary for the crop • Identify machinery and equipment needed to grow and harvest • Identify pest control problems • Estimate the expected yields and production costs – Can you expect to make a profit? • Other considerations?