Advances in Agricultural Research

Archive Report

Potential of U.S. Agriculture

Disturbing Trends in Food Production

The United States is the No. 1 agricultural nation in the world. America's farms produce more than enough food to feed this nation's population, and U.S. agriculture also dominates the international food market.1 But as the world's population soars, and as the amount of arable land decreases and the rate of crop production levels off, will this country be able to continue feeding the world? A close look at the situation reveals some disturbing trends.

First, both in the United States and around the world, population pressures and environmental factors are causing millions of acres of farm land to be lost each year. The United States alone lost some 16 million acres of farm land to urban development ...

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