Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure
10.3.
Open shed for tractors.
food for the family is purchased in a grocery store. Steve's youngest son, William, plants
a small garden each year, but the greatest part of the family food comes from stores.
10.2
WHAT RAW MATERIALS DO FARMERS USE?
In agricultural terminology the raw materials used to produce crops and animals are
“inputs.” These are the things used to produce a product such as wheat or milk. For
most farmers there are three types of inputs: free, variable, and fixed. Free inputs are
often taken for granted because they are free. Examples are sunlight, air, and rain. Vari-
able inputs are things such as fertilizer or seed. The cost depends on the quantity planted
or applied. Fixed costs are expenses that the farmer has to pay even if no crop is planted.
An example is the purchase of a tractor. It must be paid for even if the farmer is sick and
cannot till the land. It costs the same if it used for 10 ha or for 100 ha.
A farm can be considered as a type of factory where raw materials are used to make
products. A general list of the types of raw materials used in agriculture is shown in
Table 10.1. Fixed materials are those that are purchased once and serve for many
T A B L E 10.1. Types of Raw Materials in Agriculture
Free
Fixed
Variable
Sunlight
Roads
Labor
Oxygen and CO
2
Land
Seed
Rainfall
Buildings
Fertilizers
Equipment
Weed control
Electricity
Vaccines and medicines
Irrigation water
Credit
