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Agricultural engineering is the engineering of agricultural production and processing. Agricultural engineering combines the disciplines of mechanical, civil, electrical, Food science and chemical engineering principles with a knowledge of agricultural principles according to technological principles. A key goal of this discipline is to improve the efficacy and sustainability of agricultural practices.

History
The first use of agricultural engineering was the introduction of irrigation in large scale agriculture. The practice would not expand until the industrial revolution. Civilizations that predate the Greco-Roman civilization understood that there was a severe need for specialized workers in agriculture. It was during this time period that humanity really began to develop agricultural technologies. Early people from this time were able to enjoy the creation of countless inventions that changed the agricultural world. This eventually led to sustainability in early societies and even profitability which allowed for the creation of other societal essentials such as laws and currency.

With the rise of tractors and machines in the industrial revolution, a new age in Agricultural Engineering began. Over the course of the industrial revolution, mechanical harvesters and planters would replace field hands in most of the food and cash crop industries. In the 20th century, with the rise in reliable engines in airplanes, crop dusters were implemented to disperse pesticides. The introduction of these engineering concepts into the field of agriculture allowed for an enormous boost in the productivity of crops, dubbed a "second agricultural revolution".

In the late 20th century, Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs) were created, giving another large boost to crop yields and resistance to pests.

Modern
Technology is often used in agriculture to improve the applications of various different types of agriculture such as herbicide, pesticide, fertilizer, and seed. As time has passed, agriculture has proved invaluable to the agricultural world. Agricultural biotechnology has allowed farmers to grow crops successfully in desolate areas once thought non arable land.

Genetic engineering has come a long way. So much so that we are able to introduce other strains of genetic material into crops and animals to enhance certain aspects or traits that are desirable. These alterations are resistant to insects and pesticides as well as enhancing size and taste. With the use of technology, farmers can optimize and increase efficiency for every aspect of production. The biggest limiting factor of agricultural technologies is the adoption of those technologies. In order to increase the number of people that utilize these new technologies, we must first understand the various elements that impact a farmers decision to farm in a certain way.

Institutional, social and economic are some of the factors that influence how fast or slow agricultural technologies are adopted. Land size is one of the biggest factors in determining how much to invest in new technology. The cost of new technology is also balanced with how beneficial that technology is. Of course, social factors play a large role as well. Farmers’ education level, age, social groupings, and gender are some of the social factors that influence the probability of a farmer to adopt modern agricultural technologies.

Common Modern Practices

 * Permaculture
 * Permaculture takes the concepts of farming and agriculture found in nature, and applies them to modern agriculture. Permaculture can be found in almost all facets of life including living area, local economies, energy systems, water supplies, housing systems, and food production.
 * Biodynamic Farming
 * Biodynamics takes the concepts of anthroposophy and incorporates them with various growing practices. Farmers work their farms like they are an organism. They grow crops in a way that allows them to support each other and easily be maintained.
 * Hydroponics and Aquaponics
 * Hydroponics is the process of growing a crop that is growing in a mineral solution or in an inert mixture such as gravel. Aquaponics merges the growth of aquatic animals with the growth of plants and crops. Waste material from the fish is then used as a fertilizer to boost the growth of the crops. Once the water is fully used by the plants, it is recirculated to the fish to be reinfused with nutrients.
 * Agroforestry
 * Agroforestry takes the disciplines of trees and shrubbery and incorporates them with the growth of various crops. Agroforestry can provide an environment that is rich with nutrients and will promote a long-lasting and productive land.
 * Polyculture
 * Polyculture farming is the practice of using various crops to support each other in the same area. This style of farming aims to find plants that complement each other's production which will in turn, fully utilize a plot of land and all available resources. A high biodiversity will increase the resilience of the plants to pests or other natural, harmful entities.

GMOs
Genetically Modified Organisms have been around since the early 90’s. Since that point, the United States Government has worked with the FDA, EPA, and USDA  to ensure safety and quality in the food we grow and eat. GMO crops are not often used for human consumption. Instead, crops are modified for various livestock such as cows, chicken, or fish. GMOs are also used as ingredients in more processed foods such as cereal, chips, or vegetable oil. Even though you won’t find GMOs in the produce section of your grocery store, GMOs are very common in today's food supply. Modern technology has allowed for scientists to make genes that can enhance a crop's output.

Specialties
Agricultural engineers may engage in any of the following areas:


 * design of agricultural machinery, equipment, and agricultural structures
 * internal combustion engines as applied to agricultural machinery
 * agricultural resource management (including land use and water use)
 * water management, conservation, and storage for crop irrigation and livestock production
 * surveying and land profiling
 * climatology and atmospheric science
 * soil management and conservation, including erosion and erosion control
 * seeding, tillage, harvesting, and processing of crops
 * livestock production, including poultry, fish, and dairy animals
 * waste management, including animal waste, agricultural residues, and fertilizer runoff
 * food engineering and the processing of agricultural products
 * basic principles of circuit analysis, as applied to electrical motors
 * physical and chemical properties of materials used in, or produced by, agricultural production
 * bioresource engineering, which uses machines on the molecular level to help the environment.

Crop processing and Storage which deals with post harvest handling of crops


 * Design of experiments related to crop and animal production

Agricultural engineers
Agricultural engineers may perform tasks such as planning, supervising and managing the building of dairy effluent schemes, irrigation, drainage, flood water control systems, performing environmental impact assessments, agricultural product processing and interpret research results and implement relevant practices. A large percentage of agricultural engineers work in academia or for government agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture or state agricultural extension services. Some are consultants, employed by private engineering firms, while others work in industry, for manufacturers of agricultural machinery, equipment, processing technology, and structures for housing livestock and storing crops. Agricultural engineers work in production, sales, management, research and development, or applied science.

In the United Kingdom the term Agricultural Engineer is often also used to describe a person that repairs or modifies agricultural equipment.

ASABE standards
The American Society of Agricultural Engineers, now known as the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), was founded in 1907. It is a leading organization in the Agricultural Engineering field. The ASABE provides safety and regulatory standards for the agricultural industry. These standards and regulations are developed on an international scale and include topics on fertilizers, soil conditions, fisheries, biofuels, biogas, feed machinery, tractors, and machinery.

Education
The first curriculum in agricultural engineering was established at Iowa State University by J. B. Davidson in 1905.

Academic programs in agricultural and bio-systems engineering
Main Article: List of College and University Agricultural Engineering Departments