How to Prepare for a Career in Agriculture

There are several ways to prepare for agriculture jobs. One of those ways is through formal education, such as earning a college degree. Another popular way to prepare for an agriculture job is to get on-the-job training. Either of these methods of preparation will work to help you with your career, although formal education is often more helpful for finding higher-paying jobs. Below you will find some helpful information regarding agriculture jobs and how to prepare for a career in this field.

If you are choosing to obtain a college degree in agriculture, there are several options. Depending on what you want to do, you could major in anything from agricultural business management, to animal sciences, to herd management or crop and soil development. Many colleges offer general courses in agriculture to help students decide what they want to emphasize in their educational career. It is always helpful to talk with advisers for information about classes, career options, and course requirements. This option is popular for many because it allows students to choose their own area of study that suits their interests. Many agriculture students also get scholarships and internships to help them learn more about the field.

Another common option for preparing for an agriculture job is to receive on-the-job training. This kind of training could be received at any number of places where you start at a lower-level position and learn other jobs along the way. By choosing this option, you can focus more on agricultural methods and practice. This option also guarantees that you have a job after you are done training. Often, the more training you receive the more skills you obtain and the more opportunities you have for receiving higher pay rates. Employers also get to know you and often provide positive references for other job opportunities that come along.

Why More People Are Turning To Agriculture Investment

There are various ways to earn more money. Some people are lucky enough to be given a helping hand by family, while others have to work smart or hard to attain their desired financial status.

In most cases, once you've got your initial capital, it's just a matter of investing it wisely. Depending on how much money you've come into, you might even be able to achieve your goals through interest earned off your capital.

It's the people in life who've been given money from a deceased or living family member who have an easier task of succeeding. Even the most non intellectual person in the world can watch their money grow by getting advice on where to invest their free money. A failed investment is easier to tolerate if the unlucky person's money was never theirs in the first place.

People that start from scratch to get ahead in the world have greater appreciation for money and will be more likely to invest wisely. So what are the most successful and trusted forms of investment.

Well in New Zealand, agriculture investment has fast become a popular path to head down. Prior to this form of investment, most Kiwis saw buying a house as the best and safest form of investment. Unfortunately however, the real estate market is a bit all over the show. There was a period where people were almost guaranteed to make at least $10,000 off a house when they sold it, but now there is just as much chance of you selling it for less than you paid for it.

New Zealand has a massive dairy farming industry that many other countries rely on. There are over 4.3 million dairy cows being milked in the country each year, which when combined, produce around 16 billion litres of milk. This lucrative industry has remained New Zealand's top export trade for a number of years. So it's a safe assumption that agriculture investment is worth looking into.

The important thing to realise is that you don't have to buy a dairy farm to make money. As a rule, they're very expensive to buy outright, so buying into one is perhaps the best option for people with limited funds and who don't want the hassle of having to oversee the running of the farm.

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Writing Agriculture Resumes

The world is growing with leaps and bounds in all areas and sectors. In this growing world everyone is hunting for lucrative career options to fulfill their dreams, desires, and daily needs. In the entire economic world, the technology and the industrial sector is experiencing the maximum growth. With this, everyone is moving in different directions to reach the technology peak or to be the boss of the industrial world. Many are even opting for the agriculture industry that is certainly one of the most growing and progressing industry and also a driving force of the economic sector.

The choice of entering the agriculture industry is all based on desire. However, there are few who are forced to enter in order to meet their daily needs and expectations. Like other job options, the entry to agriculture job also begins with an effective and impressive resume.

The first thing to keep in mind while writing an agriculture resume is an effective cover letter. For this position, experience holds higher weightage than education. Hence, the cover letter should give a brief about your work experience. It should also showcase your attitude towards the applied job and the key reason why you have applied for the said job position. It should always be ended on a friendly and positive note.

To this cover letter, you can attach your resume. Remember that the key purpose of the resume is to persuade the potential employer that you are qualified for the job and a perfect candidate for the same. Show that you are confident of your skills and abilities but don't spell arrogance.

Agriculture resume should start with your name, address, and contact details. Then state an objective that shows your interest in the job and your career goals. In short your cover letter and your objective should be enough for an employer to know your talents and abilities.

Next up should be your agricultural work experience. Showcase all your duties and activities along with your achievements and awards received. If there is any kind of irrelevant experience its good to chuck it out and keep only what is required.

Then start with your educational qualification starting with the most recent ones. Highlight the agricultural degree emphasize on your desire to apply for this job. Also mention any special training or campaign if you have done. The extra efforts taken in any field always impress an employer.

Finally list your hobbies if any of these are relevant to your agricultural resume. Your passion into the field can take you further on your path to agricultural career.

How to Find A Job in Agriculture

To get hired in the field of agriculture, there is no special education required. However, some jobs in that field do require some training in order for you to work more effectively. Agriculture isn't just working with plants. It includes farmers who grow produce or who breed animals in order to earn their living. These farmers need skilled workers to operate their large operations.

People tend to overlook how many people it took to get the meal to their table. Farmers have to care for cows, growing feed, there are people who take milk from farms to be processed so we can drink it or eat it as cheese, butter and other dairy products. Agriculture isn't just about livestock, soybeans, or corn. Workers are also needed for fish farming, sugar and fruit production and processing, ecology and various other things that have been modernized by agriculture.

Agriculture is a complex business and there are many positions in agriculture for those who are interested. Payment for these positions depends upon a worker's skill, the size of the operation and the job requirements. Also, if it's outdoor work, it may be seasonal. This work may be more flexible for the worker's schedule. When getting started on your agricultural career, you'll need to create a resume with a list of your experience in agriculture. It's not typical for agricultural worker to be educated, but your level of education might equal a better job for you. Apply for a job according to your education level.

If you have a technical certification for equipment operation or other credentials that farmers may find useful, be sure to mention that. There are also many jobs that don't require outdoor work. You can find these by looking online.

You can find careers in agriculture by going to AgricultureJobs.org for a variety of agricultural listings. Here, you'll find a database just for those who want an agricultural career.

Agriculture Industry In India

India holds the second worldwide position in agricultural production.

Agriculture in India has a long history. Since more than 10,000 years majority of Indians are dependent on the industry. As agriculture is counted the main business of most of the people, it plays a significant role in the overall socio economic development of the country. According to the Annual Report 2009-2010 of the Ministry of Agriculture the total geographical area of India is 328.7 million hectares of which 140.3 million hectares is net sown area, while 193.7 million hectares is the gross cropped area.

Among world nations, India is the largest producer of fresh fruits. It mainly produces Sesame seeds, fennel, badian, jute, cashew nuts, pulses, ginger turmeric, mangoes, chillies and peppers. India holds the second largest population of cattle. It has around 281million cattle.

It holds the second position in producing cashew, cabbage, cotton seed, fresh vegetables, garlic, cardamom, onions, wheat, rice sugarcane, tomatoes, coconut, ground nut, tea, green peas, cauliflower, potato and inland fish.

India is a country which produces tobacco, rapeseed, coconut and tomatoes in large amount. So, it is called the third largest producer of these produce. The Indian Agriculture Research Institute (INRI) was established in 1905. INRI was responsible for the research leading the Indian Green Revolution of the 1970s. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex body in agriculture and related fields. They have to look after all researches and education of the related field. The union minister of Agriculture is the president of ICAR. The Indian Agriculture Statistics Research Institute looks after and develops new techniques, and they design the experiments, analyses data in agriculture and they develop the strategies to get maximum from animal and plant breed. However, Government of India has set up Farmers Commission to completely evaluate the agriculture program but still farmers are facing some problems.

According to World Bank : Indian Branch the allocation of water is insufficient and unsustainable. The irrigation infrastructure is deteriorating. At some places the overuse of water is currently being covered by pumping facility but as these are falling by foot of underground water each year, this is a limited resource. Secondary, farmers in India are mostly illiterate, socially economically backward or incapable of developing new ideas. They are inadequate or inefficient to implement fast and progressive actions. Farmers are facing the problems of finance and lack of marketing services for farm produce. Still as agriculture being the Indian business, future of agriculture in India is bright.

Government is taking active interest in agriculture and it is giving the highest priority to it. The Tenth Plan allocation was comparatively lower than 11th Plan. The 11th Plan is considerably higher over the 10th plan. An amount of US$19 billion has been allocated for the Ministry of Agriculture during the Eleventh Five Year Plan. Agriculture is one of the strongholds of the Indian economy and accounts for 14.6 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009-2010, and provisional percent of the total export is 10.23 percent. Moreover, the agriculture sector, provides employment of 52 to 55 percent of the work force.

As per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) farm output will grow by 10 percent to 114 million ton (MT) in the Kharif season, while in winter season( Rabbi season) is expected to increase 2 percent that will be around 116.6 MT. According to Agricultural and processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) India’s exports of fruits, vegetables, cereals and processed food products was worth US$ 1.14billion during April May 2010-11. Middle East, Asia, Africa, and South America are developing countries in which 70 percent of the India’s agriculture and processed food is being exported.

This data makes it absolutely clear that Indian Economy is largely governed by the Industry, which is still largely dependent on the uncertainties of rainfall and other natural forces. We have a social responsibility to support the agricultural industry in every possible manner.

Working In Agriculture

A wide variety of agriculture jobs exist, ranging from hands-on field work to complex positions in agricultural engineering. Specific job categories include agribusiness, agricultural inspection, agriscience, and farm work. Some positions are learned on the job, while others will require a college degree and specialized training.

Agriculture jobs in the business sector involve working with companies that grow and sell crops and livestock. The distribution, buying, and trading of produce may be supervised. The work typically includes marketing, price analysis, drafting contracts, and farm management. Most of these positions will require a four-year degree or higher, as well as good communication and people skills.

Agricultural inspectors often work for government offices that establish and enforce health and safety regulations regarding the food supply. These inspectors make sure that farms and processing plants are following the proper procedures where food safety is concerned. This usually involves testing livestock for harmful diseases and inspecting food for dangerous microbes and other contaminants.

An agricultural scientist works to improve the quality and safety of both farm animals and crops. These positions are often found in universities and research labs. The agricultural jobs may include improving farm equipment technology to increase the quantity and quality of goods, finding cures for diseases that affect livestock and crops, and discovering more effective methods of pest control. A strong background in science, math, and engineering is necessary for this position.

Farming was likely the very first agriculture job; in addition to crops and livestock, it may also involve specialized animal breeding. To ensure healthy crops, the art of plowing, planting, and fertilization must be learned for each crop type. The responsible use of pesticides is also important, as well as the routine maintenance of facilities and equipment. A production manager may be employed to oversee progress, while also finding ways to increase production using less time and money. Many farm positions are seasonal, employing extra workers during certain months to pick fruits and vegetables.

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Investment in Agriculture

The procedure of investment in land that awaits future urban development has been carried out for generations by both big businesses and private investors. For several it has been a gainful venture, resulting in many folks gathering large land portfolios and substantial amounts of wealth. Mainly, this investment has taken place in agricultural plots surrounding towns, villages and cities as these are seen as ripe for development as settlements expand. This type of investment has recently been opened up to the masses with many companies offering chances to unite funds for part ownership of land.

The chances to harvest large financial rewards from land investment are great. In some cases it is not even required to offer a large financial inoculation, part ownership schemes have allowed investors to begin investment in land for as little as fifty pounds, paid on a weekly basis. As a result investors differ from those attempting to build up a retirement nest egg to those struggling to get on the possessions stepladder.

In terms of the rewards some estimates consider that an investment of twelve thousand pounds could lead to a return of more than fifty. This will take about ten years but when compared to other investment opportunities the returns are excessive; obviously however, as with most investments the greater the risk, the higher the profits. As a result, those allowing for buying land should always research a number of companies carefully as an approach without intimate knowledge can be seen as foolish. This appraisal should include an appraisal of a company's credibility and past history in giving investors honest returns.

In the media the land investment business has not received the best of press in recent years. There are still a large number of companies out there that is measured trustworthy; all it takes is a little effort in researching the industry to find them. Once this research has been carried out, the returns from share purchasing can obtained quickly.

Eventually a company that appreciates the privilege of investors to research proposed opportunities is the ideal; in addition, they should also readily supply this information so their clients can make informed choices pertaining to any investments. Part of this information should include reports from local authorities on the transport links, mains supply and chances of planning permission for any plot of land. It is worth remembering however that while the benefits are certainly there, they are never guaranteed; investment is a risk and hence there is always the chance of losing money. As the demand for land for housing continues to grow however, this risk is reducing to some extent, through astute financial investment, profits should become realism.

As well as the profits, many investors are choosing land as a way to avoid certain government legislation. For example, agricultural land and forestry is a great way to get certain tax breaks; one example is that owners of these types of land do not have to pay legacy tax as long as they have been in ownership of this land for more than two years; with certain dodge, this type of investment is also a way to avoid the capital gains tax.

Obviously investment in land is popular with many. Thanks to a selection of companies it has also been opened up to members of the general public making speculating an attractive profit making chance. As government plans to increase towns and speed up residential construction continue with pleasure, investing can be seen as a truly sensible way to make money.

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Farmers Around the World Should Be Encouraged to Use Biopesticides

Farmers and growers have always used some natural methods to both deal with plant pests and diseases as well as to strengthen the soil.

After all, what is compost but decomposing vegetable matter which is then put back into the soil to improve its richness, fiber content and the nutrients plants need for growth.

Plant extracts were arguably the earliest agricultural bio pesticides, as history records that nicotine was used to control plum beetles as early as the 17th century. There were also experiments using mineral oils as plant protectants in the 19th century.

Bio pesticides most frequently used on specialty crops like specific fruits. A 2006 study estimated that orchard crops had the highest rate of bio pesticide use at 55%.

Bio pesticides are derived from natural materials like animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. Plants like mint, neem, papaya and garlic as well as baking soda have applications as pesticides and are considered to be bio pesticides.

It was after the 1960s that modern bio pesticides research really took off following a change of attitude to chemical-based pesticides that were widely used during the 1960s and 70s and the attitude change is often attributed to Silent Spring, a book by American naturalist Rachel Carson.

The book the severe effects of organochlorines on humans and the environment; the book triggered the environmental movement and also led to subsequent bans on organochlorine pesticides.

Dave Moore, senior researcher in invasive pest management at the Center for Agricultural Bio science International (Oxford, UK) suggests that more and more organic farming is embracing bio pesticides, especially in the developing countries of Africa and newly-industrialized emerging economies like China and India.

He said: "In many parts of the world biopesticides are accepted easily, where available, and are seen as totally compatible with organic."

In India, for example, anyone cultivating vegetables in a residential area is required to use only bio pesticides. The Asian and Australasian market for microbial- and nematode-based pesticides is estimated to be worth approximately $132.5 million per annual and has grown by 35.7% since 2004.China, India and Japan are thought to be the three largest markets in the region, and most of the products used have been researched and developed locally.

In Europe the estimated market share is 26.7% and again is projected to grow. The most widespread use of biopesticides is in the US.

One of the main difficulties in promoting wider use of biopesticides and other low-chem agricultural products is that they tend to be geographically limited in use and locally-specific in their effects on pests, viruses or fungi.

This makes them costly to research and produce, apart from the costs and time involved in getting them through the trial and registration process, while at the same time limiting the market in which they can be sold.

There is now a growing body of evidence that they are better for the environment, the land and for growing healthy, natural food free of chemical residues and that they have the potential to contribute to reduced damage of the soil as well as reducing the widespread incidence of hunger in less developed parts of the world.

www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

The Reasons Agriculture is Important

Why is agriculture important? The concept of 'food security' is fundamentally important, and for that reason, agriculture is important. The task of feeding its people has been perhaps the first priority of its rulers throughout history. As such, agriculture is considered to be the very basis of political and social stability of a nation since times immemorial.

Moreover, the agricultural sector plays an important role in the sphere of providing large scale employment to people. Large and moderately large farms employ workers to undertake the various jobs relating to cultivation of crops and care of farm animals. In most of the countries of the world, agriculture still remains the biggest sector responsible for the employing and feeding a large percentage of the population.

Agriculture is also important from the point of view of appraising the standard of a country's development, based on the competence of its farmers. Poorly trained farmers cannot apply the advanced methods and new technologies. The prominence of science and technology in the development of agriculture is quite clear from the words of Deng Xiaoping -

The development of agriculture depends first on policy, and second on science. There is neither any limit to developments in science and technology, nor to the role that they can play in the field of agricultural growth'.

Though agriculture often plays a contributory role in the 'Gross Domestic Product' - GDP - of most countries, it nevertheless requires a substantial boost from both the local and the international community.

Agriculture is traditionally based on bulk manufacturing. Harvesting is done once a season, most of the times, and stocked and used later. In fact, some thinkers opine that people have begun to adopt 'batch processing' and 'stocking' in manufacturing, as a result of the practices from agricultural thinking. Before industrialization, people with the biggest stocks of food and other supplies were considered more stable, and they were able to face challenges of nature without having to starve.

So important is the role of agriculture that new concepts keep 'cropping up' to give the traditional activity a modern turn. One such new concept the world is raving about these days is - the importance of 'organic farming'. There is evidence that, apart from their numerous other benefits, organic farms are more sustainable and environmentally sound, giving agriculture a new dimension.

The importance of agricultural practices was further established when 'Organic food' began as a small movement decades ago, with gardeners and farmers rejecting the use of conventional non-organic practices. With the growth of the Organic food market now outpacing much of the food industry, many big companies have ventured into it. With the emergence of multi-national companies, and with the creation of a legal certification framework such as the Soil Association, there is every doubt that the very definition of organic food will change, making it more of a commercial activity than ever before!

In fact, modern agriculture has already undergone a sea-change from the ancient times. Today, the importance of agriculture lies in the fact that it is practiced both for subsistence as well as commercial reasons!

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

The Reasons Agriculture is Important

Why is agriculture important? The concept of 'food security' is fundamentally important, and for that reason, agriculture is important. The task of feeding its people has been perhaps the first priority of its rulers throughout history. As such, agriculture is considered to be the very basis of political and social stability of a nation since times immemorial.

Moreover, the agricultural sector plays an important role in the sphere of providing large scale employment to people. Large and moderately large farms employ workers to undertake the various jobs relating to cultivation of crops and care of farm animals. In most of the countries of the world, agriculture still remains the biggest sector responsible for the employing and feeding a large percentage of the population.

Agriculture is also important from the point of view of appraising the standard of a country's development, based on the competence of its farmers. Poorly trained farmers cannot apply the advanced methods and new technologies. The prominence of science and technology in the development of agriculture is quite clear from the words of Deng Xiaoping -

The development of agriculture depends first on policy, and second on science. There is neither any limit to developments in science and technology, nor to the role that they can play in the field of agricultural growth'.

Though agriculture often plays a contributory role in the 'Gross Domestic Product' - GDP - of most countries, it nevertheless requires a substantial boost from both the local and the international community.

Agriculture is traditionally based on bulk manufacturing. Harvesting is done once a season, most of the times, and stocked and used later. In fact, some thinkers opine that people have begun to adopt 'batch processing' and 'stocking' in manufacturing, as a result of the practices from agricultural thinking. Before industrialization, people with the biggest stocks of food and other supplies were considered more stable, and they were able to face challenges of nature without having to starve.

So important is the role of agriculture that new concepts keep 'cropping up' to give the traditional activity a modern turn. One such new concept the world is raving about these days is - the importance of 'organic farming'. There is evidence that, apart from their numerous other benefits, organic farms are more sustainable and environmentally sound, giving agriculture a new dimension.

The importance of agricultural practices was further established when 'Organic food' began as a small movement decades ago, with gardeners and farmers rejecting the use of conventional non-organic practices. With the growth of the Organic food market now outpacing much of the food industry, many big companies have ventured into it. With the emergence of multi-national companies, and with the creation of a legal certification framework such as the Soil Association, there is every doubt that the very definition of organic food will change, making it more of a commercial activity than ever before!

In fact, modern agriculture has already undergone a sea-change from the ancient times. Today, the importance of agriculture lies in the fact that it is practiced both for subsistence as well as commercial reasons!

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Top 7 Highlights of Australian Agriculture

Australia is a major agricultural producer, producing a great range of agricultural products for local, and international consumption. Some of this production is made possible through the use of protective canopies. How many of the following were you aware of?

Crops

Wheat is the most important agricultural crop to the Australian economy, judging by its monetary value, land usage and overall volume of production. It dwarfs the next nearest crop, barley, by a factor of over three. Barley itself has production over three times the next nearest crops. A cluster of crops jostle for this third position, with production of sorghum, cottonseed, canola, oats and lupines all usually significantly over one thousand kilo tonnes per annual.

Horticulture

While much of Australia is desert, and unsuitable for agriculture, the sheer size of the country means there are a variety of climatic zones. Oranges, apples, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes are the main fruits and vegetables being successfully grown in temperate areas. In warmer northern regions tropical fruits like bananas, mangoes and pineapples grow well.

Wine

It's not only Aussies that enjoy a good drop. Australian wine can be found on retailers' shelves all over the world. The major producing regions in Australia are the Barossa Valley in South Australia, Margaret River in Western Australia, the Hunter Valley in New South Wales and Sunraysia in Victoria. A strong Australian dollar, and oversupply of grapes have been challenges for the industry in recent years. The upside has been cheaper wine for Australian consumers.

Cattle

Over sixty percent of Australian beef is exported, largely ending up on American and Japanese plates. Australia has stayed BSE (mad cow disease) free, giving it a major advantage over other producers in recent years. Australian sheep and lambs are also an important export. The Middle East is a major market. Pork is also produced in Australia, predominantly for local consumption.

Dairy farming

Milk, cheese, yoghurt and butter are some of the great locally produced dairy products Australians can enjoy, and maybe take for granted. The Westernisation of diets in Asia has seen demand for some of these products also increasing offshore. Increasing demand in the Middle East is also seen as supporting dairy farming in Australia, going into the future.

Seafood

Rock lobsters, prawns, tuna and abalone are some of Australia's largest export earning seafood products. With overfishing becoming a major global conundrum, it is encouraging to see that the proportion of Australia's annual seafood production coming from aquaculture has been steadily rising. It now stands at around a third of overall production.

Wool

Sheep not only provide great lamb roasts, but also some of the world's finest wool. The Merino variety of sheep is know for the high quality of its wool, and Australia dominates this sector, with around half the world's Merino wool production. For the wool market as a whole, Australia's market share is a little under ten percent.

Australia has been quite successful in the production and harvesting of the agricultural products listed above. The use of bird netting has been useful in protecting valuable crops from pests. Managing these and other agricultural challenges need to continue to keep Australia as a successful agricultural producer.

www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Gypsum Valuable Input for Agriculture

India ranks second on the basis of population in the world. Agricultural land utilised by the burgeoning population, the cultivable land resource is shrinking day by day. To meet the food, fibre, fuel, fodder, and other needs of the growing population, the productivity of agricultural land has to be increased rationally. This requires the use of all resources judiciously. In India, the mineral gypsum is mostly used in the manufacture of cement, fertiliser, plaster of Paris, ceramics and distemper. Smaller quantity is used as soil conditioner, for carving and statuary purposes. India has huge resources of natural gypsum of the order of 1120 million tonnes, of which recoverable reserves are estimated at 237 million tonnes. Over 95 per cent of the natural gypsum come from Rajasthan.

Gypsum is chemically calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4.2H2O). When dissolved in water, it yields calcium ions (Ca2+) and sulfate-sulfur ions (SO42-). Both of these ions are essential major nutrients for growing plants. In addition to this, calcium also plays a vital role in establishing and maintaining good chemical balance in soil, water and plants. Gypsum is one of those rare materials that perform in all three categories of soil treatment: an amendment, conditioner, and fertilizer. The usage of gypsum in agriculture can be grouped into following heads:

Reclaims soil sodicity: The sodic soils have exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) more than 15, it must be lowered for soil improvement as well as better crop growth. The calcium supplied by gypsum replaces the sodium held at the clay-exchange sites. The replaced sodium can be leached from the soil as sodium sulfate to an appropriate sink.

Decreases the toxic effect of NaCl salinity: Calcium from gypsum has a physiological role in inhibiting the uptake of sodium by plants. Thus plant are mitigate the sodium toxicity, which is more pronounced in the salt affected soils.

Decreases pH of sodic soils: The sodic soils are characterised by the high soil pH (>8.5). Gypsum lowers the high pH of sodic soils or near sodic soils to 7.5 to 7.8. These values are in the range of acceptability for growth of most crop plants. Increased calcium uptake by roots when gypsum is applied can decrease the pH of the rhizosphere.

Creates favorable soil EC: The more EC value of the soil is undesired for the crop growth. The high EC of soil are due to fertilizer application as well as by the weathering of soil minerals. Gypsum, being readily soluble, results in proper buffered solute concentration (EC) in soil to maintain soil in a flocculated state.

Makes excess Magnesium non-toxic: Calcium is essential to the biochemical mechanisms by which most plants nutrients are absorbed by roots. Without adequate calcium, uptake mechanisms would fail. In soils having unfavorable calcium magnesium ratios, such as serpentine soils, gypsum can create a more favorable ratio. Thus render Magnesium non-toxic.

Decreases heavy-metal toxicity: Calcium plays a role of regulator for balance of micro-nutrients, such as iron, zinc, manganese and copper, in plants. Calcium prevents excess uptake of many of them; and once they are in the plant, calcium keeps them from having adverse effects when their levels get high. Calcium in liberal quantities helps to maintain a healthy balance of nutrients and non-nutrients within plants. Gypsum also removes excess of Boron from sodic soil. It also regulates non-essential trace elements.

Improves soil structure: Gypsum provides calcium, which, flocculate clays in acid and alkaline soil. A flocculated clays form friable soil with improved soil structure and tilth. It also allows for deeper, healthier root development and water penetration.

Prevents crusting of soil: Gypsum application can decrease and prevent the crust formation on soil surfaces which result from rain drops or from sprinkler irrigation on unstable soil. It can prevent crusting that result when acid soils are limed and the gypsum is coapplied with the lime.
Improves compacted soil: Gypsum can break up compacted soil and decrease penetrometer resistance. Combination with organic amendments also helps, especially in preventing return of the compaction. The soils applied with gypsum have low bulk density.

Makes slightly wet soils easier to till: Soils that have been treated with gypsum have a wider range of soil moisture levels where it is safe to till without danger of compaction or deflocculation. Even a liberal application of gypsum is a good procedure for starting a piece of land into no-till soil management or pasture. Gypsum also improves the ability of soil to drain and not become waterlogged due to a combination of high sodium, swelling clay, and excess water.

Stops water runoff and erosion: Gypsum improves water infiltration rates into soils and also the hydraulic conductivity of the soil. The use of gypsum can decrease wind and water erosion of soil.

Improves swelling clays: Gypsum can decrease the swelling and cracking associated with high levels of exchangeable sodium on the montmorillonite-type clays. As sodium is replaced by calcium on these clays, they swell less and therefore do not easily clog the pore spaces through which air, water and roots move.

Increases water retention in soil: Gypsum when applied to sodic soil reduced the levels of exchangeable sodium resulted in increase in water retention. The improved soil structure help in the more retention of water.
Increases the stability of soil organic matter: Gypsum is a source of calcium responsible for the binding of soil organic matter to clay and gives stability to soil aggregates.

Improves low-solute irrigation water: Gypsum is used to increase the solute concentration of low-solute water used for irrigation. Irrigation water from rivers that no longer have sources of leachable salts either penetrates poorly into soil or causes soil particles to degrade which results in low-water penetration. The problem can be corrected with surface-applied gypsum or application to the irrigation water.

Improves water-use efficiency: Gypsum application increases water-use efficiency of crops. Improved water infiltration rates, improved hydraulic conductivity of soil, better water storage in the soil all lead to deeper rooting and better water-use efficiency.

Efficiently use low quality irrigation water: Use of reclaimed municipal wastewater is important for conservation of natural resources. Reclaimed water can be satisfactorily used if amended with gypsum and water-soluble polymers.

Improves fruit quality and prevents some plant diseases: The quality of fruit depends on the amount of calcium. Calcium is nearly always only marginally sufficient and often deficient in developing fruits. Calcium moves very slowly, if at all, from one plant part to another and fruits at the end of the transport system get too little. Calcium must be constantly available to the roots. In very high pH soils, calcium is not available enough; therefore, gypsum helps. Gypsum is used for peanuts, which develop below ground, to keep them disease free. Gypsum helps prevent blossom-end rot of watermelon and tomatoes and bitter pit in apples. Gypsum is preferred over lime for potatoes grown in acid soils so that scab may be controlled.

Decreases loss of fertilizer nitrogen to the air: Calcium from gypsum can help decrease volatilization loss of ammonium nitrogen from applications of ammonia, ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium sulfate, or any of the ammonium phosphates.

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Agriculture Injuries and Fatalities

When it comes to on the job injuries, most people think of factory workers as the population most at risk. But, surprisingly, most factories have less injuries and fatalities than other industries. Factories are very closely monitored and very strict rules are put into place in order to protect employees from any type of injury. All the employees must go through a number of stringent safety courses as well.

The more industrialized the industry, in general, the more safety standards are put into place. There are a number of reasons for this. For one thing, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA keeps an extremely watchful eye on factories. They are also tightly unionized and have dozens of unions representing their employees at all times. Unions can help guarantee reasonable work hours, safe working conditions and very competitive wages.

The industries that actually experience the most injuries and fatalities of employees are the ones less closely regulated. One of these industries is agriculture. In fact, agriculture is one of the two most dangerous industries in the United States.

The Numbers

Every year in the United States, an estimated 710 agriculture employees dies while on the job. Other serious issues facing agriculture employees are the high number of permanent, non-fatal injuries. There are around three of these permanent injuries for every fatality.

These permanent injuries and fatalities are most common in the harvest months. The second most risky time is during the planting months.

Agriculture Machinery and Farm Structures

There are a number of reasons why the agriculture industry has such a high number of fatalities and injuries. But by far the most common cause of deaths are accidents caused by farm machinery. Tractor overturn is the single most common fatal agriculture accident. In addition to tractors, the dozens of large machines used for planting and harvesting are extremely dangerous.

These machines contain huge, sharp blades which can cause accidental amputation in less than a second. The safety features on these machines are often inferior in relation to their danger level. Many employees are also not properly schooled in the safety measures that must be taken in order to avoid injury.

In addition to farm machinery, farm structures can be quite dangerous. Indoor farm activities are typically done in confined spaces such as silos. Many agriculture products such as manure also produce toxic gases which can be fatal in small spaces

Is Agriculture As Green As We Think It Is?

Images of smoke belching from the chimneys of factories, oil refineries or cars inching their way in a downtown street are typical images that come to one's mind when one thinks of greenhouse emissions. On the other hand vast stretches of emerald fields and meadows nearby with flocks of sheep and cattle grazing idly conjure an image of perfect harmony with nature. This makes us believe that agriculture and animal husbandry are perfectly eco friendly occupations that do not threaten the atmosphere in any way.

The perfect picture post card scenario it seems is far from true according to scientists and agriculture experts and recent studies present a grim picture.

Let us take a quick look at the facts

- Agriculture accounts for 10% of all greenhouse emissions globally
- Paddy fields in particular release 10 million tonnes of methane which is 20% of all human produced methane emission
- Livestock comprising sheep and cattle are responsible for half of the global agricultural emissions with these animals releasing methane directly into the atmosphere.
- A vast amount of nitrous oxide is released due to the decaying of manure.

A fast growing world population demanding a higher and higher output of both grains and meat forced more and more wetlands/peat lands to be brought under agriculture. These lands store an estimated 300 billion to 700 billion tonnes of carbon and their degradation results in massive volumes of carbon dioxide emissions averaging 2 to 3 billion tonnes a year which is the equivalent of 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

This truly is a catch 22 situation, while bringing more lands under cultivation and increasing the number of animals being reared for meat threatens the eco system, producing less crops and meat threatens to starve the world's growing population. While we can reduce industrial emission to an extent by driving around lesser, sharing cars to work using public transport and implementing pollution control measures in factories, how can we stop increasing agricultural activity in proportion to need. This is a question that needs to be addressed by agricultural experts and scientists.

www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Is Agriculture As Green As We Think It Is?

Images of smoke belching from the chimneys of factories, oil refineries or cars inching their way in a downtown street are typical images that come to one's mind when one thinks of greenhouse emissions. On the other hand vast stretches of emerald fields and meadows nearby with flocks of sheep and cattle grazing idly conjure an image of perfect harmony with nature. This makes us believe that agriculture and animal husbandry are perfectly eco friendly occupations that do not threaten the atmosphere in any way.

The perfect picture post card scenario it seems is far from true according to scientists and agriculture experts and recent studies present a grim picture.

Let us take a quick look at the facts

- Agriculture accounts for 10% of all greenhouse emissions globally
- Paddy fields in particular release 10 million tonnes of methane which is 20% of all human produced methane emission
- Livestock comprising sheep and cattle are responsible for half of the global agricultural emissions with these animals releasing methane directly into the atmosphere.
- A vast amount of nitrous oxide is released due to the decaying of manure.

A fast growing world population demanding a higher and higher output of both grains and meat forced more and more wetlands/peat lands to be brought under agriculture. These lands store an estimated 300 billion to 700 billion tonnes of carbon and their degradation results in massive volumes of carbon dioxide emissions averaging 2 to 3 billion tonnes a year which is the equivalent of 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions.

This truly is a catch 22 situation, while bringing more lands under cultivation and increasing the number of animals being reared for meat threatens the eco system, producing less crops and meat threatens to starve the world's growing population. While we can reduce industrial emission to an extent by driving around lesser, sharing cars to work using public transport and implementing pollution control measures in factories, how can we stop increasing agricultural activity in proportion to need. This is a question that needs to be addressed by agricultural experts and scientists.

Information Technology in Agriculture

Today's Scenario

Agriculture is the sector which continues to sit on the driver's seat and will remain so forever as long as we don't get rid of stomachs; So it becomes fairly important for any reform or revolution to address this sector and in this race information technology has been the front runner.

Information technology has led from the front in the information sharing process among the Agro scientists, Engineers, Farmers and Students. Because of the core dependency of information technology on Internet might have restricted the reach of the information but situation will not remain so for long.

Now scientists from all over the world collaborate over the internet, for sharing the information about the research on land fertility, seed hybridization, reducing the man efforts and making the farming environment less challenging and cost effective.

Future Guidelines

In an edition of "The economist", I encountered something which could trigger anxiety in anyone when it states "1974 Henry Kissinger, then America's secretary of state, told the first world food conference in Rome that no child would go to bed hungry within ten years. Just over 35 years later, in the week of another United Nations food summit in Rome, 1 billion people will go to bed hungry. This failure, already dreadful, may soon get worse. None of the underlying agricultural problems which produced a spike in food prices in 2007-08 and increased the number of hungry people has gone away. Between now and 2050 the world's population will rise by a third, but demand for agricultural goods will rise by 70%." Usual business is not going to better the estimates, as the panacea lies in the maximum involvement of information technology in agricultural research and knowledge transfer.

Agriculture sector has stood against the time and achieved green, white, yellow, blue and cyber revolutions over the time.

Availability of information and effectively using this information is crucial for successful economic development. Information about expert suggestions, material inputs, financial support, technological innovations and changing market conditions have huge impact on agriculture equally as the case with any other sector.

How well the Agriculture involves information technology in itself, will play a major role in determining the future well being of those who have direct dependency on agriculture for livelihood, especially in developing countries like India.

In this context, it is most prudent to extend the benefits of IT to agriculture and not to underestimate the tremendous growth potential to be unleashed in this sector.

Invest in Agriculture - Defining the Risk in Agricultural Commodities

Many investors shy away from agricultural investments because of the misconception that agriculture is a risky venture. However, whether the venture is risky or not really does not lie in the sector, but more on the investor himself. Agricultural investments have its defined risk and benefits. It will indeed be very risky if one were to invest in low quality land. However, the case if very different if we were talking about prime investment grade farmland which provides stable and consistent returns while appreciating the principle.

Investors who do not have a foot in the agricultural commodity market is sorely missing out. I would guess that almost 90% of those reading this has absolutely no idea how the agricultural commodities can benefit them. This is not your fault entirely as most stock brokers and hedge fund managers are always calling for more buys into properties and bonds. Investors often call the agricultural commodity 'risky', but these are the very same folks who buy heavily into funds where they watch their shares go to zero. No commodity has ever gone to zero, and they never will.

Agriculture is the staple of almost every country's economy. By being able to provide the basic necessarily of life - food, agriculture commodity creates a tremendous economic impact. It cannot be denied that the food and farming industry is critical to the balance of trade and employment in every nation. All across the country, it is agricultural farmland that supports the economic base of nation. Let us not forget the impact that China will have on the worlds agricultural economy. The United States has a population of about 280 million, and about 330 million crop acres in production. In similar comparison, China has 1.4 billion people living off 270 million crops acres! The economic boom in China is imminent and just starting.

In recent years, the land and agricultural business has not received the best of press. There are a few selected companies out there which are measured as trustworthy, and all it takes is determination on your part to seek out these companies and to learn about investing in the agricultural commodity. Investing in agriculture can be very lucrative to the informed investor. Therefore, it is highly advisable that you seek and follow the latest news on very exciting sector.

TheInflationist believes in the power of public investing talent and aims to harness its collective talent to benefit readers. We aim to encourage you to nurture, develop and share your investing style with the rest of us. The Inflationist strives to provide objective and transparent Stock Reviews for all investors alike.

Growing Career Opportunities In Biotechnology

Biotechnology unifies biology and technology by covering a wide range of subjects like agriculture, animal husbandry, biochemistry, bio-statistics, cell biology, chemistry, crop management, cropping system, ecology, engineering, genetics, health, immunology, medicine, microbiology, plant physiology, soil science, soil conservation, seed technology, and virology, etc. In biotechnology the living things, especially cells and bacteria are used in industrial process. Through these researches, various medicines, and vaccines are developed.

Scope of biotechnology in India

There is an immense possibility of getting jobs in this field as the demand for biotechnologists is growing in India as well as abroad. It is estimated that more than 6000 biotechnologists of top skill are required in India as per the survey made by the Human Resource Development Ministry.

Eligibility criteria to get into the field of biotechnology

The eligibility for this field requires graduation in science that is in physics, chemistry and biology. There is B.Tech for the undergraduates. Some universities in India offer the B.Sc biotechnology for which you can join after class 12 or equivalent examination, with physics, chemistry and mathematics. Graduates in all sciences, engineering technology, or medicine are eligible for the postgraduate (M.Sc.) course in biotechnology.

There are P.G. courses available in M.Sc. Biotechnology, M.Sc. (Agriculture) Biotechnology, M.V.Sc. (Animal) Biotechnology, M.Tech. Biotechnology, M.Sc./M.V.Sc. in Veterinary Biotechnology, M.Sc. (Marine) Biotechnology and a host of other courses are available.

Institutes that provide biotechnology course

Here are some well-known institutions of biotechnology, which offer graduate courses in the subjects:

o Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

o Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi

o Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi

o GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttar Pradesh

o National Centre for Plant Genome Research, New Delhi

o National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi

o National Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore

The following are some of the universities that also offer graduate and post graduate courses in biotechnology:

o Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

o Visva-Bharati, Birbhum, West Bengal

o Madras University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

o Biotechnology University of Mysore, Karnataka

o Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

o Benaras Hindu University

o Patna University, Bihar

o Rajasthan University, Rajasthan

o Biotechnology Banglore University, Karnataka

o Sai College Of Medical Science and Technology, Uttar Pradesh

o Biotechnology Gulbarga University, Karnataka

Jobs in biotechnology

Biotechnology as a subject has grown rapidly. A biotechnologist can get into government institutes and organizations, such as Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Development of Education, Science and Technology at Thiruvananthapuram.

Other fields include agriculture, dairy and horticulture institutes. Pharmaceutical companies like Dabur, Ranbaxy, Hindustan Lever, and Dr. Reddy's Labs, and many more. Food processing industry, chemical industry, and the textile industry are the other areas where you can look for jobs. Hindustan Lever, Thapar Group, Indo American Hybrid Seeds, Bincon India Ltd., IDPL, Hindustan Antibiotics, etc. are some of the big companies that employ biotechnologists.

Remuneration in biotechnology field

India is the next biotech frontier and there's immense scope to earn a lot in this field, but as always, the more well read you are more the amount you can expect. The factors for remuneration depend upon academic qualification, institute or university from which the degree is attained and the level of work experience.

In the corporate sector, a fresher with B.Sc. or B.Tech. degree can expect somewhere from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 7,000 per month. Candidates with masters degrees, PhDs, or research background can expect Rs. 10,000 to Rs.15,000 per month. Salary increases with your experience, but due to lesser number of openings in this field as compared to other sectors, the salary hikes are low.

www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.

Agriculture in a Nutshell

The word agriculture means "tak­ing care of the fields"-in other words, what we are used to thinking of as farming. And, in fact, agriculture and farming mean just about the same thing. But usually we would say "agriculture" when we mean the entire work and science of using the earth to produce food and other plants that are valuable to us; and we would use the word "farm­ing" to mean some particular branch of this, for example dairy farming, or chicken farming. You will note that the word "science" was used in the paragraph above.

Agri­culture is as much of a science as engi­neering, medicine, or any other scientific fields to which men and women turn for their life's work. Many different sciences go to make up the whole work of agriculture. Many different sciences have helped in making agriculture the respected and profitable work it is today. This has not always been so. Farm­ing used to be laborious, poorly paid work. A farmer had to work hard in his fields all day long, just to raise enough food for his own family. Usu­ally his wife had to help, and had no time for comfortable living; his chil­dren had to help, and had no time to get good educations.

Today the young man or woman of a family in the field of agriculture will go to one of the hun­dreds of agricultural colleges and uni­versities in the United States and will learn to make the family's farm even better in the future. In this encyclopedia there are separate articles on dairy farming and cattle farming and farm machinery and other branches of agriculture. In this article we will tell about what agricul­ture used to be, how it has changed, and what it is today. how agriculture has changed There have been farmers as long as there has been history and for tens of thousands of years before that.

To trace the latest information in agricultural scenario and agro industry, agricultural, products, reserves, Indian importers, Trade Leads, business directories, catalogs and product reviews, www.made-from-india.com is the precise Indian Business to Business (B2B) portal. It maintains a large database of Indian Agricultural manufactures suppliers, India Agricultural products, Indian Farm Products, suppliers & producers of agricultural products including fertilizers, pesticides, animal feeds & extracts, agricultural product stocks, vegetable oil, Indian Agriculture information online news, irrigation equipment, machines & appliances, fruits & juices, edible products etc.