Agriculture, food, and related industries added over $1 trillion to the U.S. GDP during 2019. The farming industry added over $136 billion to that total.
Do you own a farming company? It’s important to stay updated about the future of the agriculture industry. The best farms adapt to the changing market and embrace new technologies.
The following guide explains factors affecting different types of farms this year. Here are the latest farming industry facts and statistics to prepare you for 2022.
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Electric Vehicles and the Farming Industry
Electric vehicles only make up a little over 2% of total global vehicle sales. Yet, analysts predict EV sales could reach 24% by 2030. The emerging technology could benefit farming equipment, but it also presents uncertainty.
EV sales reduce the demand for gasoline which also lowers the demand for ethanol. The demand for corn goes down along with ethanol demands. It’s not guaranteed to happen, but it’s something corn farmers should prepare for.
Biotech and Agriculture
Too many crops get wasted because of pests and plant diseases. Luckily, more sustainable agrochemical products like Marrone Bio Venerate are hitting the market.
Scientists are using plant breeding, hybridization, genetic engineering, and tissue culture. Those methods help find the best traits in plants quickly.
CRISPR-Cas9 creates plants with ideal qualities. Examples include disease tolerance, drought tolerance, and pest resistance. The technology even improves high crop yield capacity.
Biotech raises the profitability of a farm business. Startup farms rely on things like biopesticides and biofertilizers. The products improve soil toxicity issues and the whole environment.
Demand for Plant-based Proteins
Plant-based protein sales increased by 60% in the past few years. The improved taste and variety of meat alternatives attracted new consumers.
Plant-based foods might cut into sales of traditional meat, dairy, and eggs. Expect plant-based foods to continue changing the industry and farming strategies in 2022.
Regenerative Agriculture
Plowing, tilling, and grazing cause long-term soil erosion and crusting. Traditional farming doesn’t give the soil much time to recover between seasons.
Regenerative agriculture causes much less soil disturbance. It also focuses on improving soil biodiversity and reviving topsoil. The process involves things like no-till farming, limited tillage, and crop rotation.
A great example of regenerative agriculture is planting cover crops between seasons. These crops cover the soil to restore fertility.
Regenerative farming also allows fields to become a carbon sink. Fewer carbon emissions get released into the atmosphere this way.
Precision Agriculture
Precision agriculture involves farmers using exact amounts of water, pesticides, and fertilizers. It enhances the productivity and quality of crop yield.
Different parts of fields have different soil properties. They might receive different amounts of sunlight or have unique slopes. Precision agriculture accounts for these differences to reduce waste and increase profit.
Are You Ready to Farm in 2022?
Now you know some very important farming industry facts and stats for 2022. Electric vehicles and plant-based foods might change the industry for years to come.
Remember that biotech, regenerative, and precision farming methods are now crucial for success. Check out the rest of our site for more tech articles and other fascinating topics.