Agriculture Mechanics

2. Agriculture Mechanics By David p Andrews

3. Exploring careers in Agricultural mechanics1 sectionunit 1 mechanics in the world of agricultureunit 2 career options in agriculture mechanicshttp://www.delmarlearning.com/samplechapters/dl_display_sampchap.aspx?isbn=0766814106&cid=3

4. U N I T 1 • Mechanics in the World • of Agriculture • TERMS TO • KNOW • agriculture • agriscience • agribusiness • renewable natural • resources • occupational cluster • occupation • business • profit • employment • trade

5. mechanical • mechanic • technician • mechanics • agricultural • mechanics • efficiency • OBJECTIVE • To determine how mechanical skills, concepts, and principles are • used in agriculture and related occupations. • Competencies to be developed • After studying this unit, you should be able to: • Define agriculture and agricultural • mechanics.

6. Define occupation and describe an occupational • cluster. • Describe the role of mechanics and • mechanical applications in society. • Demonstrate knowledge of contributions • made by mechanical application to the • development of agriculture. • Name eight inventors of important agricultural • machines. • Materials List • ✔ Pencil • ✔ Paper • ✔ Encyclopedias

7. 4 SECTION 1 Exploring Careers in Agricultural Mechanics • Historically, the word agriculture meant to farm • or to grow plants or animals. Today, agriculture • may be defined as those activities concerned with • plants and animals and the related supplies, services, • mechanics, products, processing, and marketing • related to plants, animals, and the environment. The • term AgriScience evolved during the current decade • to clearly denote that agriculture is a science. Actually, • modern agriculture covers so many activities that • a simple definition is not possible. The United States • Department of Education developed the phrase • “agriculture/agribusiness and renewable natural

8. resources” to refer to the broad range of activities • associated with agriculture. Agribusiness refers to • the network of commercial firms that have developed • with or stem out of agriculture. • Renewable natural resources are the • resources provided by nature that can replace or • renew themselves. Examples of such resources are • wildlife, trees, and fish as well as their natural surroundings. • Some occupations in renewable natural • resources are game trapper, forester, and waterman. A • waterman uses boats and specialized equipment to • harvest fish, oysters, and other seafood. • All jobs and types of work in the field of agriculture/

9. agribusiness and renewable natural resources • make up an occupational cluster. An occupational • cluster is a group of related jobs. There are many • occupations that are related to agriculture as illustrated • in figure 1–1. Agricultural mechanics is only • one of the many careers that fall under the broad • term of agriculture. • Agriculture depends on many nonfarm workers • for goods and services. For every farm worker in the • United States, there are said to be four workers in • nonfarm agricultural jobs, figure 1–2. Nonfarm agriculturists

10. provide machinery, equipment, fertilizer, • feed, seed, money, research, and government services. • Similarly, marketing, transporting, processing, • and distributing farm products are done by nonfarm • agriculturalists. This network of nonfarm agricultural • workers helps the average U.S. farmer feed about • 128 people per year, figure 1–3. On the most productive • and efficient farms, however, one farmer may • produce enough to feed more than 200 people. • The term occupation means business, employment, • or trade. It is the work a person does regularly • to earn a living. Business generally refers to work • done for profit. Profit refers to income made from • the sale of goods or services after expenses have been • taken out. An example of profit is the income made • by a local machinery dealer or a local garden center • minus expenses. • Employment means work done for pay. • Employees are paid by the hour, day, week, month,

11. or year. A small-engines mechanic employed at the • local machinery dealer is probably paid by the hour, • but the sales manager is probably paid an annual • salary with bonuses based on sales volume. • Trade refers to specific kinds of work or businesses, • especially those that require skilled mechanical • work. Mechanical means having to do with a • machine, mechanism, or machinery. A person who is • specifically trained to perform mechanical tasks is a • mechanic. A mechanic who uses high technology is • generally called a technician. The mechanic must • be skilled in the use of tools and machines. The • mechanic must also be able to select appropriate • materials, use a variety of processes, and analyze

12. problems. The term mechanics is defined as the • branch of physics dealing with motion, and the • action of forces on bodies or fluids. • The term agricultural mechanics is the selection, • operation, maintenance, servicing, selling, and • use of power units, machinery, equipment, structures, • and utilities used in agriculture. Hundreds of • different jobs are available in agricultural mechanics. • A total of 99 out of 305 occupational entries in A • Concise Handbook of Occupations are mechanical in • nature. • AGRICULTURE—A BASIC • INDUSTRY • Agriculture is a very complex industry. The industry • produces plant and animal products from • which thousands of commodities are made. Since • every person and many industries depend upon • agriculture, it is said to be a basic industry. Some

13. products of agriculture are food, oils, fiber, lumber, • ornamental trees and shrubs, flowers, leather, fertilizers, • feed, seed, and more. Basic agricultural • products form the raw materials for many items of • everyday living. • Fabrics for clothing, curtains, and floor coverings • are made from oils such as corn oil, soybean oil, and • cottonseed oil. Plastics of all kinds are also made • from vegetable oils. Products from animals are used • to make materials such as glue, leather, and paint. • Many medicines come from plants and animals. The • manufacture of automobiles, furniture, airplanes, • radios, stereos, and computers all depends on agriculture • for certain raw materials. The construction of • homes, boats, and factories all depends on agriculture • for lumber, fiber, and other basic commodities. • Most dwellings in America are surrounded by lawn, • shrubs, or other plants for beautification. These are • also agricultural commodities. • Agriculture is, indeed, a basic industry upon • which all people depend. It is the backbone of the • American society.

14. THE ROLE OF • AGRICULTURAL • MECHANICS • Mechanical applications are found throughout • agriculture. Some of these applications are shown in • figures 1–4 through 1–8. A few examples of jobs • involving agricultural mechanics are: • the engineer who designs tractors and other • farm and ranch machines • the forester who keeps chainsaws and other • equipment going

15. the builder of processing plants, farm buildings, and aquaculture facilities the electrician who installs climate controls, silo unlades, and milling equipment the soil conservationist who constructs terraces to control erosion the hardware store employee who must locate repair parts for agricultural tools and machines the air conditioning and refrigeration specialist in processing and storage facilities the designer and installer of field, turf, landscape,

16. the lawn equipment service mechanic who • repairs lawn tractors • the welder who repairs farm machinery • the mechanic who keeps the diesel trucks and • machines going. • Processing plants for field crops, livestock, poultry, • fruits, and vegetables all have machinery. Such • machinery requires designers, engineers, operators, • maintenance and repair personnel, and construction • workers. Even people with jobs in finance, publications, • and communications may need some knowledge • of mechanics when their assignments deal with • agriculture. All are likely to use computers and computer • applications in their work. • THE INFLUENCE • OF MECHANIZATION

17. At the birth of the United States in 1776, over 90 percent • of the American colonists were farmers, yet • many of General Washington’s troops at Valley Forge • died for lack of food and clothing. Today, less than • 10 percent of all Americans work in agriculture, yet • there are generally food surpluses in America. The • ratio of farm workers to nonfarm people in America • approximately reversed itself in 200 years. In 1776, • the farm-to-nonfarm ratio was approximately 9 to 1. • Today, the ratio of agricultural workers to the • remaining population is approximately 1 to 9. Mechanization • has played a major role in this rise in production • efficiency. Efficiency means ability to produce • with a minimum waste of time, energy, and • materials.

18. America provided the inventors for many of the • world’s most important agricultural machines. Cyrus • McCormick invented the reaper in 1834 to cut small • grain crops. Later, the combine was invented, which • cut and threshed the grain in the field. Today, one • modern combine operator can cut and thresh as • much grain in one day as 100 persons could cut and • bundle in one day in the 1830s. • Two inventions had a profound influence on the • settling of this country. The first was by a man • named John Deere who developed a steel plow that • replaced an iron plow invented by Thomas Jefferson. • The plow invented by Deere in 1837 allowed farmers • to break up the tough sod that previously had prevented • pioneers from cultivating the rich prairie • soils. This allowed settlers to inhabit all of the Midwest • and Plains region where so much of our food is • grown today.

19. The other invention that affected settlement • was by Eli Whitney who developed a machine, • called a gin, to remove seeds from cotton. Prior to • his invention in 1793, seeds were removed from cotton • by hand. The seeds were easily separated from • the cotton, but it was still time consuming. Another • problem was the type of cotton grown. Cotton • with loose seeds was the Sea Island or long-staple • variety that would only grow along the coast of • Georgia and the Carolinas. Upland cotton would • grow anywhere in the South, but the seeds of this • type were almost impossible to separate by hand. • Whitney’s gin not only saved labor, but opened up • the entire southern portion of the nation for cultivation • of upland cotton. • In 1850, Edmund W. Quincy invented the • mechanical corn picker. Joseph Glidden’s development • of barbed wire permitted establishment of • ranches with definite boundaries. • The internal combustion engine made machines • tremendously more efficient. Relatively lightweight, • powerful engines revolutionized the production of • food and fiber by providing mechanization that • replaced the work of animals. Today, most of the • machinery used in agricultural production is based • on the internal combustion engine.

21. Perhaps no invention has had more impact on • agriculture and the lives of people than the invention • of refrigeration. Prior to this time, produce and • meats had to be sold fresh and the shelf life was very • short. With mechanical refrigeration, meats and produce • could not only be stored much longer, but • could also be transported long distances. Refrigerated • railcars and trucks allowed livestock, fruits, and vegetables • to be produced in one part of the country and • shipped across the country to large cities. For the first • time in history, people could have fresh meats and • vegetables year-round.

22. Many of the early inventors worked alone or • with one or two partners. They all could be considered • workers in the area of agricultural mechanics. By • the early 1900s, many people worked in factories or • operated businesses. The companies that were • formed to produce agricultural machinery or process • agricultural products turned to invention also. For • instance, mechanical cotton pickers were developed • in the 1930s by several American companies. • Agriculture has become highly mechanized in • the developed countries of the world. For the undeveloped • countries, many engineers, teachers, and • technicians have sought simple, tough, and reliable • small machines to improve agriculture. In such • countries, America’s highly developed, complex, • computerized, and expensive machinery will not do. • Most countries do not have people trained for the • variety of agricultural mechanics jobs that are needed • to support America’s agriculture. • Many features, such as rubber tires, have been • standard equipment on American farms since the

23. 1930s. Yet, a machine with rubber tires is useless if • a tire is damaged and repair services are not available. • This is the case in most undeveloped countries • in Central and South America, Asia, and Africa. • Much of the world cannot compete with American • agriculture because the related agricultural products • and services are not available to support the farm • worker. • The efficiency of American agriculture will • increase in the future as computer-controlled • machines and robotics play an important part. It is • exciting to envision the changes in store for agricultural • mechanization in the twenty-first century.

24. SUMMARY • Agricultural mechanics has been fundamental to the • development of the agricultural industry in this • country. Much of the tremendous increase in the • efficiency of the American producers is due to the • innovations in mechanics. The wiring of buildings to • supply power; the repairing of engines and equipment; • the laying of pipe for water supplies; and the • constructions of buildings are only a few examples of • mechanics in agriculture. As further advances are • made the role of mechanics in agriculture will be as • prominent in the future as it has been in the past.

25. S T U D E N T A C T I V I T I E S • 1. Define the Terms to Know in this unit. • 2. Interview a Cooperative Extension Specialist for Agricultural Resources in your county or city. Ask the • specialist to describe the different jobs people do in your locality that are regarded as agricultural or • agriculturally related. • 3. Look up “inventors” or “inventions” in an encyclopedia. Pick out the inventions that relate to agriculture • and report your findings to the class. • 4. Select three or five classmates to join you in a debate on the role of agriculture in society. One team • should support the position that agriculture is the backbone of society. The opposing team should • support the notion that it is not. • 5. Consider an everyday product such as bread, milk, leather gloves, or a corsage for Mother’s Day. Trace • the production, processing, and marketing of the item from its source to finished product. List points • along the way where agricultural mechanics are used.

26. S E L F - E V A L U A T I O NMultiple Choice. Select the best answer. • 1. The production of plants and animals and the • related supplies, services, mechanics, products, • processing, and marketing defines • a. horticulture • b. renewable natural resources • c. agricultural mechanics • d. agriculture • 2. Agribusiness is • a. the same as agricultural mechanics • b. limited to the sale of agricultural products • c. business stemming from agriculture • d. special work done by medical doctors • 3. Examples of renewable natural resources are • a. oil, gas, and coal • b. fish, trees, and wildlife • c. rubber, steel, and water • d. air, soil, and minerals

27. 4. The term occupation means • a. business • b. employment • c. trade • d. all of these • 5. Agricultural mechanics stems mostly from • a. physics • b. biology • c. medicine • d. horticulture • 6. Agricultural products come from • a. soil and coal • b. plants and animals • c. iron ore and aluminum • d. atomic fuel

28. 7. Products of agriculture include • a. leather seat covers • b. paint • c. flower arrangements • d. all of these • 8. Agricultural mechanics includes the occupation • of • a. garden tractor repairperson • b. automobile mechanic • c. pile driver • d. systems analyst • 9. Mechanization of agriculture has resulted in • a. decreased soil production • b. decreased farm expenses • c. increased production efficiency • d. increased numbers of farm workers

29. 10. Cyrus McCormick invented the • a. steel plow • b. cotton gin • c. milking machine • d. reaper • 11. In 1776, the ratio of farm workers to nonfarm • people was approximately • a. 9 to 1 • b. 1 to 1 • c. 4 to 1 • d. 1 to 9 • 12. Today, the ratio of agricultural workers to the • remaining population is approximately • a. 9 to 1 • b. 1 to 9 • c. 4 to 1 • d. 1 to 1

30. EVALUATION PLAN • Person(s) responsible for the evaluation: Vasamillet • 1. Evaluation scope • There is interest in a programme that prepares agricultural mechanics. While the school does not offer such a programme, the director would initiate one if a real need is proven. The objective of this evaluation is to determine the need for an agriculture mechanics programme. • 2. Programme description • Appropriate documents will be reviewed to determine programme goals, activities and required resources. Existing resources will also be assessed to determine if they are compatible with programme requirements.

31. 3. Measures and design • A random sample of potential students and prospective employers will be surveyed to determine needs. Manpower reports and curriculum documents will also be reviewed. Complementary information will be analysed, similarities and discrepancies noted and conclusions drawn. • 4. Data concerns • Questionnaires will be sent to students and employers on 15 September and again on 15 October to non-respondents. Review of manpower reports, curriculum documents and existing resources will start on 15 September. Tabulation and analysis of data will commence on 15 November. Bar graphs will be used to present data. The final written report will be delivered to the director by 1 December. • 5. Budget • A total of US $ 700 has been set aside for evaluation. Personnel expenses will be US $ 270. Test items will cost US $ 30 and communications US $ 400. • PLANNING SHEET 1 • SCOPE OF THE EVALUATION • Steps

32. 1.1 What programme is to be evaluated? • Agricultural mechanics 1.2 Who wants to know about the programme? • School director 1.3 What decisions will be based on the evaluation? • Whether or not to start an agricultural mechanics programme 1.4 What information must be given to the audience? • · Supply of and demand for agricultural mechanics· Pool of qualified students· Programme goals, activities and required resources 1.5 What is/are the objective(s) of the evaluation? • - To determine the need for an agricultural mechanics programme - To determine if the school has sufficient resources to implement such a programme • PLANNING SHEET 2 • PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION • Steps • 2.1 What are the programme outcomes? • To be determined by assessment 2.2 What are the programme activities? • To be determined by assessment 2.3 What are the required resources? • To be determined by assessment PLANNING SHEET 3 • MEASURES AND DESIGNS • Steps

33. 3.1 What will be measured? • · Students and employers to be served by the programme· The supply of agricultural mechanics· The demand for agricultural mechanics· The pool of qualified students· Programme goals, activities and required resources 3.2 What instruments will be used? • · Student and employer questionnaires· Manpower supply and demand documents· Curriculum and facility documents 3.3 How will data be analysed? • · Descriptive analysis of observed agreement/differences between official statistics and employer and student responses · Descriptive analysis of existing resources and those prescribed in curriculum documents • 3.4 What designs will be used? • · Informal comparisons of:

34. manpower data and student-employer responses- existing resources and those prescribed in standard documents 3.5 What sampling strategy will be used? • Random sample of employers and students PLANNING SHEET 4 • DATA CONCERNS • Steps • 4.1 What are the deadlines? • 1 September - Develop questionnaires, order documents 15 September - Send questionnaires, read documents 15 October - Send second questionnaire to non-respondents 15 November - Tabulate/analyse data 1 December - Final report 4.2 How will data be presented? • Bar graphs will be used to show employer, student and manpower data 4.3 How will data be reported? • Written report delivered to the school director PLANNING SHEET 5 • BUDGET • StepsCostsEstimatedActual-

35. 5.1What are the personnel costs?Evaluator Consultant $ 200 Clerical 20 Typist 50 5.2Travel/lodging/foodTransportation Housing Meals 5.3Test items/analysis

36. Test purchase 30 Test scoring Data processing 5.4CommunicationTelephone 100 Postage 300 Telex 5.5Other costs5.6Total costs$ 700Discussion of case study 1 • This case study addressed curriculum planning - whether or not to offer a TVE curriculum. To provide appropriate information a needs assessment was proposed. This design uses complementary information to draw conclusions.

37. Information is drawn from different sources - employer and student responses to questionnaires and published manpower data. A second dimension looks at proposed programme goals, activities and required resources in terms of existing curricula and resources. This information helps the director decide if the school has sufficient resources to implement the new programme

38. Needs assessments are highly speculative. Decisions are subjective because reliable evidence about the supply of and demand for workers is not always available. Also, changes in society, technology and the economy create an ever-changing job market. At best, a needs assessment provides a snapshot in time of the employment situation

39. pictures of Agriculture Mechanics