• Shuffle
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Alphabetize
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Front First
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Both Sides
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
  • Read
    Toggle On
    Toggle Off
Reading...
Front

Card Range To Study

through

image

Play button

image

Play button

image

Progress

1/109

Click to flip

Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;

Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;

H to show hint;

A reads text to speech;

109 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back

U. S. Secretary of Agriculture
Tom Vilsack

Chairman, U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan
Chairman, U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee
Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma
Texas Commissioner of Agriculture

Todd Staples, (Republican)
Chairman, Texas Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Senator Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls
Chairman, Texas House of Representatives Agriculture and Livestock Committee
Rep. Tracy O. King, D-Batesville
97% of American farms are still family farms.
Farm Facts
Farmers and ranchers make up less than 2% of the population.
Farm Facts
One farmer can feed 143 people.
Farm Facts
The average size of a U.S. farm is approximately 450 acres.
Farm Facts
Major Uses of Land in United States:
• Cropland – 20% • Grassland, pasture and range – 26% • Forest-use land – 29% • Special Uses – 13% • Miscellaneous Land – 10% • Urban Land – 3%
Top 5 Texas Crops
1. Cattle 2.Cotton, Lint, & Seed 3.Dairy Procudts (Milk) 4.Broilers 5.Greenhouse & Nursery
Top 5 States Beef Production
1. Texas 2. Nebraska 3. Kansas 4. California 5. Oklahoma
Beef producers offer a variety of beef choices to meet the changing lifestyles and nutritional needs of consumers. While each offers something different, they all share three common values: taste, nutrition and safety.
Beef Production Facts
The most widely produced and tends to be less expensive. The cattle spend most of their lives eating grass in a pasture before moving to a feedlot where they are fed a high-energy, grain diet.
Grain-fed Beef
The cattle are raised on grass pastures their entire lives. Producing in large volumes is difficult in North America where few regions have the growing season to make it possible.
Grass-finished Beef
The cattle must be fed 100% organic feed and must be certified through the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing System. In addition, these cattle can not be given hormones to promote growth or antibiotics. If antibiotics are needed they are not withheld but the animal must be permanently removed from the program.
Certified Organic Beef
By definition, most beef is natural. According to the USDA “natural” may be used on a beef label if the beef does not contain artificial flavoring, coloring, chemical preservatives or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient. Producers raising cattle for beef marketed with a “natural” label may follow different production practices in order to brand their beef.
Natural/Branded Beef
Beef Cattle Production Systems
Cow-calf- Ranchers produce the cattle for the stocker market or feedlot (commercial operations) or other breeding herds (purebred operations). Feedlot – Raises calves until they weigh 900 to 1,400 pounds and market them to packer operations. Stocker – Ranchers graze weaned calves until they weigh as much as 900 pounds, and then market them to the feedlots
The nearly 1 million beef cattle operations in the United States produce over 24 billion pounds of beef which generates about $80 billion in retail beef sales.

Beef Production Facts
Increased productivity is the main contributor to growth in U.S. agriculture. Beef production per cow has increased from about 400 pounds in the mid-1960s to almost 600 pounds today. This means more business opportunities for the producers and cost saving for consumers.

Beef Production Facts
Myth: Beef production uses outrageous amounts of water, feed and land that should be used for something else. Truth: It takes 2.6 pounds of grain and 435 gallons* of water to produce a pound of beef in the U.S. 85% of the nation’s grazing lands are not suitable for farming. Cattle eat forages that humans cannot consume and convert them into a nutrient-dense food.
Beef Production Facts
Most cattle farms and ranches are family owned. For many producers, cattle raising is a family tradition passed down through generations.
Beef Production Facts
Cattle have a nine-month gestation period.
Beef Production Facts
Calves are weaned from cows at six to 10 months of age.
Beef Production Facts
According to the USDA, there are about 815 fixed auction facilities in the United States.
Beef Production Facts
Weanling cattle are typically “backgrounded” in stocker cattle operations before going to a feedlot at 12-18 months of age
Beef Production Facts
Growth promotants are often administered in the form of a small pellet placed under the skin behind the animal’s ear. Most growth promotants are naturally occurring hormones like estrogen. These products are approved by the Food and Drug Administration after rigorous scientific tests, similar to those required to approve human medications.

Beef Production Facts
Cattle spend four to six months in a feedlot. Feedlot pens typically allow about 125 to 250 square feet of room per animal. Rations are 70 to 90 percent grain.
Beef Production Facts
Cattle are usually slaughtered at 18 to 20 months of age and weigh between 1,100 and 1,250 pounds.

Beef Production Facts
The Humane Slaughter Act (passed in 1958 and updated in 1978 and 2002) dictates strict animal handling and slaughtering standards for packing plants. These facilities are under continuous federal inspection, with Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) personnel present in plants to ensure compliance with all regulations.
Beef Production Facts
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a public health agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is responsible for ensuring compliance with slaughter regulations and that the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.
Beef Production Facts
The Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA grades the carcasses by evaluating characteristics including marbling (distribution of internal flecks of fat, contributing to tenderness and taste) and the age of the animal. Grading is voluntary.

Beef Production Facts
The hide from one beef animal can be made into: 20 footballs or 12 basketballs or 18 soccer balls or 12 baseball gloves or 18 volleyballs or 144 baseballs
Beef Production Facts
Beef byproducts allow 99% of every beef animal to be utilized.
Beef Production Facts
The majority of corn grown in Texas is “dent” corn used for animal feed.

Corn Facts
Texas corn farmers plant around two million acres of corn each year.
Corn Facts
One acre of corn is the size of a football field.

Corn Facts
A single corn seed produces a plant that yields about 800 kernels of corn per ear.
Corn Facts
Depending upon the type equipment used, Texas farmers plant 150-300 acres of corn per 12-14 hour day.
Corn Facts
Where does Texas corn end up?
• The great majority of Texas corn production goes to feed livestock. • Nearly all the feed corn produced on the High Plains goes to local feed yards. • Low Plains and Cross Timbers feed corn is sold to elevators for merchandising or fed locally to livestock. • Elevators handle most of the feed corn produced in the Blacklands and Edwards Plateau. • East Texas and South Texas feed corn is marketed through grain elevators with some used by local livestock and poultry feeders. • Local and port elevators are the primary destinations of the feed corn produced in the Upper Coast, Coastal Bend and Lower Valley.
The statewide average yield for corn is around 140 bushels per acre.

Corn Facts
Texas corn farmers produce over 230 million bushels of corn each year.
Corn Facts
The value of the Texas corn crop is around $600 million annually.

Corn Facts
What are the stages of Corn Plant Growth?
Berminations & Emergence; Tasseling; Silking; Dent; Harvent
Seedling reaches the surface in 8 to 12 days, at which time it splits open revealing the first leaves of the corn plant. Within approximately 72 days all leaves, ears, buds, and tassel which will be present in a mature plant are established. (Number of days depends upon location, seed variety, weather, and other conditions)
Germination and Emergence
At about 75 days the last branch of the tassel is completely visible, the plant has reached full height, and the pollen shed begins. (Number of days depends upon location, seed variety, weather, and other conditions.)
Tasseling
Silks are visible at about 81 days and pollination is completed by the pollen shedding tassels in two to three days. Kernel development begins immediately after pollination. (Number of days depends upon location, seed variety, weather, and other conditions.)
Silking
At approximately 114 – 119 days nearly all kernels are dented or denting (drying process leaves actual dent in kernel). Kernels at this stage have about 55% moisture. (Number of days depends upon location, seed variety, weather, and other conditions.)
Dent
At 145 to 160 days after planting, all kernels have attained maximum dry weight and maturity. At grain harvest, corn is ready to be harvested at 13-15% moisture. (Number of days depends upon location, seed variety, weather, and other conditions.)
Physiological Maturity (Harvest)
Top 5 States of Cotton Export
1. Texas 2. Georgia 3. California 4. Mississippi 5. Arkansas
“Gin” is short for engine. Before the cotton gin, it took 20 hours of hard work to produce 1 kilogram of cotton. The first cotton gin was created in 1793. It consisted of cranks, pulleys and hooks and maintained an output of 50 pounds per day. The cotton gin increased cotton production and lowered costs, resulting in cotton becoming the cheapest and most widely used textile fabric in the world. Improvements of the gin were made for removing trash, drying, moisturizing, sorting, cleaning, and baling in 480 pound bundles.
Cotton Gin Facts
How does the Cotton Gin work?
Unloading; 1st Stage Drying & Precleaning; 2nd Stage Drying & Precleaning; Feeding & Ginning; Lint Cleaning; Condesing & Moisture Restoration; Press & Bale Handling
Cotton is a fiber, feed and food crop.
Cotton Facts
In the U.S., cotton is regulated as a food crop

Cotton Facts
About 2/3 of a harvested cotton crop is composed of the seed, which is crushed to separate its three products—oil, meal and hulls.
Cotton Facts
Cotton can be grown continuously without hurting the soil.
Cotton Facts
Cotton is produced on more than 8,500 farms in Texas.
Cotton Facts
The cotton industry accounts for more than $25 billion in products and services annually.
Cotton Facts
After leaving the farm, cotton is processed and handled by gins, cottonseed mills, warehouses, shipping companies, textile manufacturers and retailers.
Cotton Facts
The cotton industry in the United States provides jobs for more than 440,000 Americans.
Cotton Facts
The first T-shirts were elbow and hip length undershirts issued to sailors in the U.S. navy in 1880. The shirt resembled a perfect “T” when laid out on a flat surface…which is how it got its name.
Cotton Facts
Planting begins as early as Feb 1st in South Texas, and as laste as June 1st in northern areas.
Cotton Facts
Harvesting begins in July in South Texas and extends to late November in northern areas.
Cotton Facts
Cotton production covers more than 14 million acres or about 22,000 square miles of the United States.

Cotton Facts
Texas is the leading cotton-producing state, producing about 4.5 million bales of cotton a year.
Cotton Facts
Cotton contributes over $1 billion to the Texas economy, ranking only behind the beef industry in total cash receipts.
Cotton Facts
Texas produces about 25% of the entire U.S. crop and plants over 5 million acres annually. That’s over 8,000 square miles of cotton fields!
Cotton Facts
Each year it costs farmers more than $5.3 billion worth of supplies and services to produce our country’s cotton crop.
Cotton Facts
About 31% of the U.S. cotton supply is exported.
Cotton Facts
What is a cotton module?
A module builder hydraulically compresses the cotton from the picker into a module of cotton which is usually stored in the field or in the gin yard until the cotton is ginned. A module holds about 13 to 15 bales.
What are the three primary by products of cotton?
cotton lint, linters, and cottonseed
United States paper currency is made up of 75% cotton and 25% linen. This means that there is three-fourths of a pound of cotton in each pound of dollar bills.
Cotton Facts
The United States has more than 9 million milk cows and produces approximately 171 billion pounds of milk annually.
Dairy Facts
All milk is carefully tested for antibiotics. Any milk that tests positive is disposed of immediately, and does not enter into the food supply.
Dairy Facts
On average, dairy farmers receive 30 cents of every retail dollar. Today’s recent price increases for dairy, and all foods, beverages and other goods, are tied to dramatic increases in energy, transportation, feed and other supply costs.
Dairy Facts
Bovine somatotropin, also referred to as bST or bGH, is a naturally occurring protein hormone in cows. A trace amount of this hormone is present in all milk, including organic products, and is digested just like other proteins.
Dairy Facts
Milo is another name for what crop?
Grain Sorghum
Grain Sorghum, not only is it an important grain crop, it is also very important as a forage, hay, and silage crop generating more than $1 billion for Texas annually.

Grain Sorghum Facts
Grain Sorghum History: • Grain Sorghum is one of the oldest known grains originating in Africa and India. • Benjamin Franklin is credited with introducing the first crop to the United States in the 1700s. • Before the 1940s, most grain sorghums were 5 to 7 feet tall, which created harvesting problems. • Today, sorghums have two or three dwarfing genes in them and are 2 to 4 feet tall.
Grain Sorghum Facts
Grain Sorghum Varieties: • Grain Sorghum is a drought-tolerant, versatile grain with many varieties. • Some varieties can be used in the cereal, snack food, baking and brewing industries. • These varieties contain a white berry, and tan glumes on a tan plant. • Other varieties are used in the U.S. for livestock feed, pet food, industry and ethanol. • These may include yellow, red and bronze sorghums.
Grain Sorghum Facts
What are the useds of Grain Sorghum?
Livestock Feed, Industry (Wood Substitute), Fuel, Human Consumption (ex, Granola bars)
Worldwide, about 49% of the sorghum consumed is for food. Sorghum provides an important part of the diet for many people in the world in the form of unleavened breads, boiled porridge or gruel, malted beverages, and specialty foods such as popped grain and beer.
Grain Sorghum Facts
What are Equine Activities?
Horse Racing, Therapeutic Riding, Ranching, Recreational Riding
There is $13 billion invested in barns, towing vehicles, trailers, and other related horse equipment. About $2.1 billion is spent annually maintaining horses.
Horse Facts
There are almost 300,000 horse owners in Texas.
Horse Facts
There world’s horse population is estimated at 75,000,000.
Horse Facts
Annual cash receipts for horse sales in Texas top $354 million.

Horse Facts
The United States produces approximately 21,077,595 pounds of pork a year.

Pork Facts
The U.S. is the third top pork producing country in the world.
Pork Facts
* Food Safety • All poultry products found in retail stores are inspected by the USDA for evidence of illness. • Turkeys and chickens are hormone and steroid free, only antibiotics are provided to the birds to prevent disease to ensure that consumers receive a healthy product. A withdrawal period is required therefore assuring that no residues are present in the bird’s system at time of processing.
Poultry Facts
* Egg Facts: • Most popular chicken breed raised for egg production is the White Leghorn. • Eggs are used as ingredients in such foods as cakes and cookies, or they can be scrambled, fried, poached, or hard-boiled. • A hen requires 24 to 26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later, she starts the process over again. • The egg shell may have as many as 17,000 tiny pores over its surface. Through them, the egg can absorb flavors and odors. Storing them in their cartons helps keep them fresh. • Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator. • Eggs are included in the meat group on the food pyramid because they are the highest quality protein available after mother’s milk. • The average laying hen begins producing eggs at 5 to 6 months of age and can produce between 250 and 300 eggs per year.
Poultry Facts
Top 5 States for Rice Production
1. Arkansas 2. California 3. Louisiana 4. Missouri 5. Texas
Rice is the primary staple for more than half the world’s population, with Asia and Africa being the largest consuming regions.
Rice Facts
The United States is the second largest exporter of rice, (first is Thailand). The United States now exports about half of all the rice it grows
Rice Facts
4 major types of rice produced and traded worldwide
Indica, Japonica, Aromatic, Glutinous
The United States is the 12th largest rice producer in the world.
Rice Facts
Although rice is produced over vast areas of the world, the physical requirements for growing rice are limited to certain areas. Production typically requires high average temperatures during the growing season, a plentiful supply of water applied in a timely fashion, a smooth land surface for uniform flooding and drainage, and a subsoil hardpan that prevents water loss.
Rice Facts
Top 5 States for all Sheep and Lamb and Total Wool Production
1. Texas 2. California 3. Colorado 4. Wyoming 5. Utah
Texas has over 1.2 million goats
Sheep & Goat Facts
There are over 7,000 sheep and lamb operations in Texas and over 68,000 in the United States.
Sheep & Goat Facts
They produce over 194 million pounds of lamb and mutton (meat) per year worth nearly $175 million.

Sheep & Goat Facts
Predators are animals such as coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, dogs and other types of meat-eating animals that hunt for food.
Sheep & Goat Facts
What do sheep and goat eat?
- Sheep are grazers, preferring to eat short, tender grass and clover. They like weeds and can graze very close to the soil surface. - Goats are browsers, preferring to eat leaves, twigs, vines and woody shrubs. They will stand on their hind legs to eat vegetation.
Goat meat is the most highly consumed meat in the world; and more goats’ milk is consumed worldwide than cow’s milk! * Wool Facts
Sheep & Goat Facts
Goat meat is termed either cabrito or chevon, depending on the goat’s age at harvest. The meat is unique in flavor and palatability. It is leaner than many other red meats and usually less tender, it is also very low in fat and cholesterol.
Sheep & Goat Facts
What are the two types of wheat planted in the U.S.?

1. Winter wheat – planted in September and harvested the following summer. 2. Spring wheat – planted in April or May and harvested in August or September.
Winter wheat is 70-80% of U.S. production
Wheat Facts
There are several hundred varieties of wheat produced in the United States, all of which fall into one of six recognized classes. Classes are determined by time of year they are planted and harvested, hardness, color and shape of kernels.

Wheat Facts