United States Department of Agriculture - Economic Research Service - The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America...   Jump over Navigation Bar   Text only version
search our site  
Home Research Emphases Key Topics Briefing Rooms Publications Data Newsroom About ERS
Briefing Room Icon
briefing room

agricultural chemicals and production technology


overview
Farmers combine land, water, commercial inputs, labor, and their management skills into practices and systems to produce food and fiber. To sustain production over time, farmers must make a profit and preserve their resource and financial assets. Society wants food and fiber products that are low-cost, safe to consume, and aesthetically pleasing, and wants production systems that preserve or enhance the environment. These often competing goals and pressures are reflected not only in the inputs made available for production, but also in how the inputs are selected, combined, and managed at the farm level.

Increasingly, farmers are facing pressures to change from conventional production practices to more environmentally friendly practices that encompass critical aspects of crop production, including pest management, nutrient management, soil management, and sustainable production systems. ERS research examines the critical role of economic and environmental factors in the adoption of management practices and technologies, including the use of conservation tillage, integrated pest management, precision farming, nutrient testing, organic farming, and biotechnology. More overview...

features
Economic and Policy Implications of Wind-Borne Entry of Asian Soybean Rust into the United States—American soybean producers and the research, regulatory, and extension institutions supporting them are preparing for the potential wind-borne entry of Asian soybean rust into the United States. This report examines how the economic impacts of soybean rust establishment will depend on the timing, location, spread, and severity of rust infestation and on how soybean and other crop producers, livestock producers, and consumers of agricultural commodities respond to this new pathogen. (April 2004)

U.S. Agriculture Depends Increasingly on Imported Fertilizer—U.S. farmers use about 21 million tons of the nutrients nitrogen, phosphate, and potash each year in the form of chemical fertilizers, helping to sustain high U.S. crop yields. But the sources of these nutrients have changed markedly in recent years from domestic to foreign suppliers, making the U.S. increasingly dependent on fertilizer imports. Increasingly depending on the import would result in changing of the current fertilizer distribution and storage system, which was constructed around the U.S. supply base, to supply fertilizers to meet farmer demand. (01/04)

Managing Manure:New Clean Water Act Regulations Create Imperative for Livestock Producers—New Clean Water Act Regulations Create Imperative for Livestock Producers-Nutrients from livestock and poultry manure are key sources of water pollution. Ever-growing numbers of livestock and poultry per farm and per acre have increased the risk of water pollution, with manure being disposed of in ways not adequately addressed in the original 1972 regulations. The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA signed new regulations on December 15, 2002 that would compel operations with the largest number of animals to manage their manure according to a nutrient management plan. Amber Waves (2/03).

Crop Production Practices—Phase II of the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) is USDA's primary source of information about the current status and trends in crop production practices for major crops (corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton). This survey also obtains data on U.S. farmers' agricultural resource use, as well as data to assess potential environmental impacts associated with crop production practices. The ARMS survey yields annual data summaries for field-level data by crop, including: irrigation technology and water use, nutrient use and nutrient management practices, crop residue management practices, pest management practices and pesticide use, and crop seed variety. Data summaries are available for production years 1996-2000 (1996-98 and 2000 for wheat). (1/03).

recommended readings
Adoption of Bioengineered Crops—This report uses USDA survey data to examine the extent to which US farmers have adopted bioengineered crops, factors affecting adoption of these crops, and the impacts of bioengineered crops on input use and farm-level net returns.

Pest Management in U.S. Agriculture—Describes the use of pest management practices, including integrated pest management (IPM), for major field crops and selected fruits and vegetables.

See all recommended readings...

recommended data products
ARMS Data Highlight Trends in Cropping Practices—Since 1996, U.S. farmers have responded to a number of industry-altering changes, including lower crop prices, the availability of genetically engineered seed, and environmental incentives embodied in farm legislation. How have these shocks affected farming and conservation practices used by farmers? Amber Waves (02/03).

Data that highlight important information associated with ERS research on agricultural chemicals and production technology.

recent research developments
Meetings, conferences, and activities of researchers in the ag chemicals and production area.

related briefing rooms
Agricultural Biotechnolgy
Agricultural Research and Productivity
Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS)
Conservation and Environmental Policy
Organic Farming and Marketing
Information Policy
Traceability in the U.S. Food System

questions and answers
Important research questions and answers about pest management, nutrient managment, soil management, genetically engineered crops, and sustainable production systems.

related links
Environmental Protection Agency—Information on pesticides.

USDA's Agricultural Research Service—Programs related to soil, water, and the environment

See all related links...

glossary
Crop residue management and tillage definitions

maps and images gallery
Maps related to the pattern of ag chemical and production technology use.

poll
Are there other agricultural chemicals and production technology. topics not addressed here in which you would be interested?
email us...

for more information, contact: Lee A. Christensen
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: August 17, 2004

 

 Also at ERS...
latest publications
• The Conservation Reserve Program: Economic Implications for Rural America

• Amber Waves, September 2004

• Measuring the Success of Conservation Programs

latest data products
• Western Irrigated Agriculture

• Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.

• U.S. Fertilizer Imports/Exports

research emphases
harmony between agriculture and the environment

related topics
• Ag Chemicals & Production Technology

• Ag Chemicals & Production Technology>Cropping Practices

• Ag Chemicals & Production Technology>Fertilizers

• Ag Chemicals & Production Technology>Genetically Engineered Inputs

• Ag Chemicals & Production Technology>Organic Agriculture & Production

• Ag Chemicals & Production Technology>Pest Management & IPM (Integrated Pest Management)

• Ag Chemicals & Production Technology>Pesticides

• Ag Chemicals & Production Technology>Production Input Industries

• Biotechnology

• Biotechnology>Adoption

• Biotechnology>Production Impacts

• Farm Structure, Income, & Performance>Costs of Production

• Natural Resources, Environment, & Conservation

• Natural Resources, Environment, & Conservation>Manure Management

• Natural Resources, Environment, & Conservation>Organic Agriculture & Production

• Natural Resources, Environment, & Conservation>Soil Conservation

• Natural Resources, Environment, & Conservation>Water Quality

• Policy Topics>Conservation Policy

• Policy Topics>Environmental Policy

• Policy Topics>Risk Management policy

resources
• Contact an ERS Expert
• Calendar of Releases

services
• Receive E-mail Updates
• E-mail This Page
• Translate This Page

Key Topics Image
Shortcuts Image

USDA / FedStats / accessibility / privacy policy / contact us / advanced search / site map