Farmer: Difference between revisions

| image = Woman at work, Gujarat.jpg

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| related_occupation = [[Ranch]]er (U.S.), [[Pastoral farming|grazier]] (Australia) or stockman

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==History==

===Advancements in technology===

[[File:FFA greenhouse training 120813-A-PO167-151.jpg|thumb|Afghani farmers learning about [[greenhouse]]s]]

 

==Types==

More distinct terms are commonly used to denote farmers who raise specific [[domestication|domesticated]] animals. For example, those who raise grazing livestock, such as [[cattle]], [[domestic sheep|sheep]], [[goat]]s and [[horse]]s, are known as ''[[ranch]]ers'' (U.S.), ''[[wikt:grazier|graziers]]'' (Australia & UK) or simply ''stockmen''. Sheep, goat and cattle farmers might also be referred to, respectively, as ''[[shepherd]]s'', ''[[goatherd]]s'' and ''[[cowherd (disambiguation)#Worker|cowherd]]s''. The term ''[[dairy]] farmer'' is applied to those engaged primarily in milk production, whether from cattle, goats, sheep, or other milk producing animals. A ''poultry farmer'' is one who concentrates on raising [[chicken]]s, [[Domestic turkey|turkeys]], [[domestic duck|duck]]s or [[domestic goose|geese]], for either [[meat]], [[Egg (food)|egg]] or [[feather]] production, or commonly, all three. A person who raises a variety of vegetables for market may be called a ''truck farmer'' or ''market gardener''. ''Dirt farmer'' is an American colloquial term for a practical farmer, or one who farms his own land.<ref>Oxford English Dictionary</ref>

 

In developed nations, a farmer (as a profession) is usually defined as someone with an ownership interest in crops or livestock, and who provides land or management in their production. Those who provide only labor are most often called ''farmhands''. Alternatively, growers who manage farmland for an absentee landowner, sharing the harvest (or its profits) are known as ''[[sharecropper]]s'' or ''sharefarmers''. In the context of [[agribusiness]], a farmer is defined broadly, and thus many individuals not necessarily engaged in full-time farming can nonetheless legally qualify under [[agricultural policy]] for various [[subsidy|subsidies]], incentives, and [[tax deduction]]s.

 

===Techniques===

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In [[developed nation]]s, however, a person using such techniques on small patches of land might be called a [[gardener]] and be considered a [[hobbyist]]. Alternatively, one might be driven into such practices by [[poverty]] or, ironically—against the background of large-scale agribusiness—might become an organic farmer growing for discerning/faddish consumers in the [[local food]] market.

Farmers are often members of local, regional, or national farmers' unions or agricultural producers' organizations and can exert significant political influence. The [[National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry|Grange]] movement in the United States was effective in advancing farmers' agendas, especially against railroad and agribusiness interests early in the 20th century. The [[FNSEA]] is very politically active in France, especially pertaining to [[genetically modified food]]. Agricultural producers, both small and large, are represented globally by the [[International Federation of Agricultural Producers]] (IFAP), representing over 600 million farmers through 120 national farmers' unions in 79 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ifap.org/en/about/aboutifap.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807165914/http://www.ifap.org/en/about/aboutifap.html|url-status=dead|title=About the International Federation of Agricultural Producers|archive-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref>

 

 

There are many organizations that are targeted at teaching young people how to farm and advancing the knowledge and benefits of [[sustainable agriculture]].

* [[4-H]] was started in 1902 and is a U.S.-based network that has approximately 6.5 million members, ages 5 to 21 years old, and is administered by the [[National Institute of Food and Agriculture]] of the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] (USDA).

* The [[National FFA Organization]] (formerly known as Future Farmers of America) was founded in 1925 and is specifically focused on providing agriculture education for middle and high school students.

 

==Income==

Farmed products might be sold either to a [[Market (place)|market]], in a [[farmers' market]], or directly from a farm. In a subsistence economy, farm products might to some extent be either consumed by the farmer's family or pooled by the community.

 

== Occupational hazards ==

There are several occupational hazards for those in agriculture; farming is a particularly dangerous industry.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/aginjury/|title = Agricultural Safety|date = December 15, 2014|publisher = NIOSH|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071028181205/http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/aginjury/|archive-date = October 28, 2007}}</ref> Farmers can encounter and be stung or bitten by dangerous insects and other arthropods, including [[scorpion]]s, [[fire ants]], [[bee]]s, [[wasp]]s and [[hornet]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/insects/|title = Insects and Scorpions|date = February 24, 2012|publisher = NIOSH|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150903023922/http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/insects/|archive-date = September 3, 2015}}</ref> Farmers also work around heavy machinery which can kill or injure them. Farmers can also establish muscle and joints pains from repeated work.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kumaraveloo|first1=K Sakthiaseelan|last2=Lunner Kolstrup|first2=Christina|date=2018-07-03|title=Agriculture and musculoskeletal disorders in low- and middle-income countries|journal=Journal of Agromedicine|language=en|volume=23|issue=3|pages=227–248|doi=10.1080/1059924x.2018.1458671|pmid=30047854|s2cid=51719997|issn=1059-924X}}</ref>

 

== Etymology ==

Previous names for a farmer were [[churl]] and husbandman.<ref>{{cite web |title=farmer {{!}} Origin and meaning of farmer by Online Etymology Dictionary |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/farmer |website=www.etymonline.com |language=en}}</ref>

 

== See also ==

* [[Agribusiness]]

* [[Agroecology]]

* [[Corporate farming]]

* [[Family farm]]