more than farming

MORE THAN FARMING (MTF) is a series of short educational videos, produced by STEAM ONWARD, that will present examples of careers in agriculture and natural resources in Maryland.  The MTF video series will illustrate for youth examples of the numerous "agriculture related" careers, where over 90 percent of those engaged in agriculture are employed.

The MORE THAN FARMING video project is produced by Steam Onward with grant support from the Rural Maryland Council. 

The main objective of the MTF video series is to illustrate:

• the diversity of careers related to agriculture, not just farming,
• the diversity of technology utilized in agriculture and natural resources, and
• the diversity of people engaged in agriculture and natural resources.

A major element of the series includes featuring African Americans, women, and persons in other underrepresented groups as owners of agriculture enterprises, as well as professionals in agri-business, ag education, and ag related government agencies.    

The pie chart above from the US Department of Agriculture illustrates that of the 19.7 million jobs in agriculture, food, and related industries, only 1.4 % of these jobs are in direct farming, that agriculture is MORE THAN FARMING. Much more. 

Many of the current career positions in agriculture related fields require individuals with skills in 21st century information sciences, engineering, robotics, bio-sciences, chemistry, economics, business development and business management, food and beverage services, as well as well as individuals with degrees in law, public policy, and government.

According to the report AGRICULTURE 4.0: The Future of Farming Technology produced by Oliver Wyman, an American management consulting firm, "the four main developments placing pressure on agriculture to meeting the demands of the future [include]: Demographics, Scarcity of natural resources, Climate change, and Food waste".  

The AGRICULTURE 4.0 report goes on further to state that agriculture "will no longer depend on applying water, fertilizers, and pesticides uniformly across entire fields. Instead, farmers will use the minimum quantities required and target very specific areas" .  .  .  that the 21 century agricultural revolution, must be a green one, with science and technology at its heart, that, "farms and agricultural operations will have to be run very differently, primarily due to advancements in technology such as sensors, devices, machines, and information technology.  Future agriculture will use sophisticated technologies such as robots, temperature and moisture sensors, aerial images, and GPS technology. These advanced devices and precision agriculture and robotic systems will allow farms to be more profitable, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly".