Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of land and breeding of animals and plants to provide food, fiber, medicinal plants and other products to sustain and enhance life. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to live in cities. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years; people gathered wild grains at least 105,000 years ago and began to plant them around 11,500 years ago before they became domesticated. Pigs, sheep, and cattle were domesticated over 10,000 years ago. Crops originate from at least 11 regions of the world. Industrial agriculture based on large-scale monoculture has in the past century come to dominate agricultural output, though about 2 billion people worldwide still depend on subsistence agriculture.

Modern agronomy, plant breeding, agrochemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers, and technological developments have sharply increased yields from cultivation, but at the same time have caused widespread ecological and environmental damage. Selective breeding and modern practices in animal husbandry have similarly increased the output of meat, but have raised concerns about animal welfare and environmental damage through contributions to global warming, depletion of aquifers, deforestation, antibiotic resistance, and growth hormones in industrially produced meat. Genetically modified organisms are widely used, although they are banned in several countries.

The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials (such as rubber). Classes of foods include cereals (grains), vegetables, fruits, oils, meat, milk, fungi and eggs. Over one-third of the world's workers are employed in agriculture, second only to the service sector, although the number of agricultural workers in developed countries has decreased significantly over the past several centuries.

* Description and images provided by Wikipedia under CC-BY-SA 3.0 license .

Matching Agriculture Colleges

Blinn College

At least 2 but less than 4 years; Public; $8,280 average out-state tuition; $3,510 average in-state tuition

Illinois State University

Four or more years; Public; $21,136 average out-state tuition; $10,932 average in-state tuition

The University of Tennessee-Martin

Four or more years; Public; $14,418 average out-state tuition; $8,378 average in-state tuition

Tarleton State University

Four or more years; Public; $14,208 average out-state tuition; $4,416 average in-state tuition

Oregon State University

Four or more years; Public; $29,456 average out-state tuition; $10,065 average in-state tuition

Ivy Tech Community College

At least 2 but less than 4 years; Public; $8,777 average out-state tuition; $4,487 average in-state tuition

Cornell University

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $60,286 average out-state tuition; $60,286 average in-state tuition

Scholarships for Agriculture Majors

Bullet name award deadline Link
 

Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Up to $30,000 Varies See Details
 

Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

award

Up to $30,000

deadline

Varies
See Details
 

Women in Transition Scholarship - EFWA

Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting (EFWA)

Up to $16,000 March 30, 2024 See Details
 

Women in Transition Scholarship - EFWA

Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting (EFWA)

award

Up to $16,000

deadline

March 30, 2024
See Details
 

Diversity in Food and Natural Resources Scholarship

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Up to $15,000 Varies See Details
 

Diversity in Food and Natural Resources Scholarship

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

award

Up to $15,000

deadline

Varies
See Details
 

Farmer Lee Jones Scholarship

The Trotter Project

$10,000 May 15, 2024 See Details
 

Farmer Lee Jones Scholarship

The Trotter Project

award

$10,000

deadline

May 15, 2024
See Details
 

ROI Biologicals Scholarship

ROI Biologicals

$10,000 October 01, 2024 See Details
 

ROI Biologicals Scholarship

ROI Biologicals

award

$10,000

deadline

October 01, 2024
See Details
 

HBCU Sustainable Communities Initiative Scholarship Program

UNCF, Inc

$5,000 May 03, 2024 See Details
 

HBCU Sustainable Communities Initiative Scholarship Program

UNCF, Inc

award

$5,000

deadline

May 03, 2024
See Details
 

Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry Scholarship - RAF

Rochester Area Foundation - Minnesota

$5,000 March 29, 2024 See Details
 

Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry Scholarship - RAF

Rochester Area Foundation - Minnesota

award

$5,000

deadline

March 29, 2024
See Details
 

Keith Propst Memorial Agriculture Scholarship

Northeastern Junior College

$5,000 April 01, 2024 See Details
 

Keith Propst Memorial Agriculture Scholarship

Northeastern Junior College

award

$5,000

deadline

April 01, 2024
See Details
 

Adam Ginther Memorial Scholarship

Northeastern Junior College

Up to $5,000 April 01, 2024 See Details
 

Adam Ginther Memorial Scholarship

Northeastern Junior College

award

Up to $5,000

deadline

April 01, 2024
See Details
 

Paul Ecke Jr. Scholarship

American Floral Endowment

$5,000 May 01, 2024 See Details
 

Paul Ecke Jr. Scholarship

American Floral Endowment

award

$5,000

deadline

May 01, 2024
See Details