Economics is a single discipline based on theories and principles, such as supply and demand. Agriculture is a practice that spans the production of food and feed, which requires an understanding of many different disciplines such as chemistry, physics and calculus, as well as management, land-use planning, and ecosystem management to name just a few. Furthermore, the production of food and feed is a long process that begins with preparing the soil and selecting what to grow, to the production of final goods such as packaged food products. However, at all stages, people involved in the agriculture industry have to make choices and they have to recognize how those choices will play out personally, for their families and businesses and for communities.
Our next topic will be sustainability where you will answer one question: Why? Why are you studying agriculture? Why is it important?