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“The Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade (FACT) Act of 1990—P.L. 101-624 (November 28, 1990) was a 5-year omnibus farm bill that passed Congress and was signed into law. This bill, also known as the 1990 farm bill, continued to move agriculture in a market-oriented direction by freezing target prices and allowing more planting flexibility.” -
The economy of the 1990s was one of rapid growth highlighted by a stock market boom that was fueled by emerging Internet businesses. Inflation and unemployment were at historic lows. This economic boom was enhanced by instantaneous telecommunications and new information technologies. -
"The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based radio-navigation system consisting of a constellation of satellites and a network of ground stations used for monitoring and control. A minimum of 24 GPS satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of approximately 11,000 miles providing users with accurate information on position, velocity, and time anywhere in the world and in all weather conditions. -
Karl Kupers, an eastern Washington grain grower was a typical dryland wheat farmer who idled his land in fallow to conserve moisture. After years of watching his soil blow away and his market price slip, he made drastic changes to his 5,600-acre operation. In place of fallow, he planted more profitable hard red and hard white wheats along with seed crops like condiment mustard, sunflower, grass and safflower. -
During the 1990s farm management became increasingly important. Because the cost of inputs (the things a farmer needs to produce a crop) rose sharply during the 1980s, farmers needed to become better business managers and computer users in order to succeed. -
As an alternative to competing with large farms, many small farm owners are now marketing specialty products directly to consumers through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Visit the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education website to learn about CSA farms. Find a CSA farm near you. -
These northern Louisiana farmers are using global positioning technology to make precise applications of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides where they are needed on small areas of the field. -
"'The consumer is looking for a nutritious and wholesome product provided to them in a repeatable and reliable manner and produced in a humane and ethical way,' says [rancher and veterinarian Donald] Coover, who also owns and manages SEK Genetics Inc., a beef cattle semen distribution company. 'If a consumer spends $30 on a steak dinner at a restaurant, they expect a great steak, but don't always get it.' -
In his January 25, 1997 radio address, President Bill Clinton said the following: "We have built a solid foundation for the health of America's families. But clearly we must do more. No parent should have to think twice about the juice they pour their children at breakfast, or a hamburger ordered during dinner out." -
"All universities engage in research and teaching, but the nation's more than 100 land-grant colleges and universities have a third critical mission--extension. 'Extension' means 'reaching out,' and--along with teaching and research--land-grant institutions 'extend' their resources, solving public needs with college or university resources through non-formal, non-credit programs. -
In 1988, the USDA started the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (or SARE) as part of its Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. This program funded projects and conducted outreach to improve agricultural systems and to help advance farming systems that were profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities. -
In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the President created the Department of Homeland Security, to coordinate counter terrorism efforts. Biosecurity is an important part of the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency website on Agricultural Biosecurity and answer the following questions.