7 Myths About Farming That Everyone Should Know

Many of us don’t spend our days ploughing fields or herding cattle. We’re part of the majority per cent of the population who eat food but don’t produce it. The relationship of we humans with our food is intimate as it is crucial for our health. It is directly related to our survival. So we should show at least some interest in farming and how food comes to our plate. So next time you go grocery shopping or eat in a restaurant, consider these myths about farming.

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Another thing is that farming is one of the most vital industries worldwide. Still, farming remains poorly understood, subject to many myths and misconceptions. This article will debunk some of these common myths about farming.

The Reason That Common Myths About Farming Exist

There is no single government or organization, or country to blame. Rapid urbanization has separated us from the people who grow our food or how that food is produced and transported, and there exist several Common myths about farming.

List Of Myths About Farming

1. Corporations own most Farmland

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This one common myth about farming comes up most often in my conversations. The general public strongly believes that faceless mega-corporations handle most farming land globally.

Most people believe they control tremendous swaths of land. Such farms also exist, but the bulk of our food comes from family-owned farms—only a small fraction from these corporate farmers.

The United States of America is one of the leading agricultural countries globally. 96% of farms and farmland in the United States are family-owned.

When we talk about developing south Asian countries, almost all farms are family-owned. Corporations and the government buy only agricultural products.

2. GMOs Are Bad

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The climate is at stake in today’s agriculture, and resources are vulnerable. There is the presence of GMOs in significant land areas. An estimation from data is that 444 million acres are in 28 countries worldwide.

But unfortunately, it receives wide criticism, but they are for a good reason in most cases. It is one of the most popular Common myths about farming in the modern urban population, But the truth is another way around.

Many GMOs help farmers use fewer toxic chemicals and save crops from diseases. In addition, they are more adaptable to weather elements. They also create a higher quantity and quality of the crop. As a result, more produce is on less land with fewer inputs and tillage.

Another thing is in today’s modern era, everything we eat has modification in some way. So the term “GMO” scientifically doesn’t hold much value despite its use in labelling and pop culture. But one of the other common myths about farming related to these non-GMO growers or buyers is making a greener choice.

In short, the case and GMOs are mostly brought to the market only after extensive research. There are currently only 10 GMO foods, so genetically engineering isn’t as pervasive as the public is made out to believe.

3. Farmers Are Rich And Get Lot Of Government Subsidies

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Hearing about all government funds, people believe these about farming. The situation is intense, especially in developed countries. Farming is hazardous with many aspects out of the grower’s control.

Farmers have to deal with ground-level challenges and face consequences of fluctuating market prices, weather, debt, activists, etc.

The cost of the modern agriculture system and chemicals used in farming are so high that these subsidies end up being just a tiny fraction of support.

If there is no occasional help to family farmers, they may lose everything and go out of business. Sometimes they can have a good year, but bad years can be devastating.

4. Food Safety Concerns

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You may also have these common myths about farming floating around in social media once in a while. Growers use the Most hazardous chemicals while growing our food. But it’s not drenched in pesticides, and your food is not poisonous.

Everywhere livestock isn’t “pumped full” of hormones and antibiotics. Government and local bodies regulate and inspect according to global and national food safety standards worldwide.

The USDA and FDA have scores of regulatory and guidance sheets; Farmers must consider these sheets for safety from planting season through harvest and processing in the USA. There are similar rules for other countries too.

5. Farming Is Low Tech And Traditional Job

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You might be wondering that farmers are often uneducated people who are not familiar with the technology. But in reality, self-driving cars are not popular among average consumers, but self-driving tractors have been operating in farms for years.

So stop believing these common myths about farming as artificial intelligence is taking farming to the next level.

For example, farmers nowadays use geospatial data to analyze climate, soil health, crop health, predict diseases, and harvest crops. Modern farming tools have revolutionised agriculture.

6. Farming Is A Big Contributor To Climate Changes

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In many countries worldwide, the media is spreading that farming is a big-time contributor to climate change, and the public often falls to believe these common farming myths.

Yet, if you talk about one leading agricultural country, the USA, only 9% of total emission is from agriculture, which is less than from transportation, electricity, industry, and residential.

Furthermore, agriculture can become carbon neutral and carbon negative through “carbon sequestration,” which means capturing carbon in soil and vegetation through different metabolic processes. So regenerative farming can be a part of the solution.

7. “Factory Farms” Wreck The Environment

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There are many common myths about farming concerning factory farms. They are often labelled as cruel money-oriented people not concerned about anything. But don’t you think providing food to 8 billion people and tens of billions of pets and animals can never be perfect.

A factory farm with huge livestock has always drawn up a “manure management plan,”. A very thick book is detailing exactly how they’re going to manage it and pay thousands of dollars for environmental safety.

Some of the common myths about farming concerning these factory farms were true in the past.

Still, data tracks everything nowadays. Most everyone cares about the environment, Buffer zones have improved, and equipment is precise.

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(Also Read- Permaculture farming)

Conclusion- Myths About Farming

Farming is a vibrant and crucial part of the economy, especially in developing countries and essential industries. You can consider it the centre of significant health, food, climate, and technology trends. But still, most of the society believes these Common myths about farming. There is passion and innovation among new-generation farmers. It might be due to advances in technology. Farming is changing day by day, and so is our environment. So it’s time to stop believing these Common myths about farming.

So it is essential to understand that farming is just like other jobs, and in some other aspects, it is different. The other crucial thing to address here is Some people believe that farmers only practice agriculture as a career to get rich. But it’s pretty challenging to think that money is the only reason.

There is a lot of money, and stress farmers have to invest into the farm to make it successful. Mostly they still practice as their ancestors pass down farming from generations. Many farmers continue operating the farm because they believe it’s a noble cause and helps the community.