ABC Agriculture

A B C
By Deanna Anderson
Illustrated by Irah Dhaseleer

ABC Agriculture
by Deanna Anderson of Denison Middle School
Illustrated by Irah Dhaseleer
This book was the 2021 middle school division winner of the A
Bushel of Stories writing contest. This contest was made possible
by the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation and the National
Agriculture in the Classroom Organization.
Special congratulations to second place middle school division A
Bushel of Stories winner Rosy Chatfield, and third place winner
Keegan Nelson.
Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation
P.O. Box 14458 - West Des Moines, Iowa 50306-3458

Aa
A is for Agronomy
Agronomy is the study of soil and plants, such as corn, soybeans,
and wheat. Someone who studies agronomy is an agronomist.

Bb
“Yet food is something that is taken for granted by most world leaders
despite the fact that more than half of the population of the world is hungry.”
B is for Borlaug
Norman Ernest Borlaug was an agronomist born in Iowa.
He is known for developing disease-resistant wheat in Mexico,
India, and Pakistan.

Cc
C is for Co-op
A co-op, or cooperative, is a farm business owned by farm
members who share in its profits. Many co-ops take in and store
corn and soybeans raised by farmers. Some sell grain and feed
for livestock.

Dd
D is for Dairy
There are more than 9 million dairy (milk) cows
in the United States. Cows are milked in milking parlors that
use automatic milking machines.

Ee
E is for Environment
Farmers want to protect the environment (or everything around us)
for future generations. Farmers have built terraces, rotate crops,
and use no-till farming to protect the land.

Ff
F is for FFA
Through the National FFA Organization, students can participate
in agricultural contests and learn leadership and job skills.

Gg
G is for Grain
Grain is the edible seed of some plants that humans and animals eat.
Teff, wheat, oats, rice, corn, barley, sorghum, rye, millet, triticale,
amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa are all types of grain.

Hh
H is for 4-H
4-H is a youth organization. Youth in 4-H complete hands-on
projects ranging from agronomy or livestock to photography,
clothing, or foods. Youth learn communication, leadership,
and citizenship skills.

Ii
Fields of Opportunity
I is for Iowa
Iowa is known as the Tall Corn State because it produces the
most corn in the nation and the second most soybeans. It also
has the most pig and egg production. Pigs outnumber humans
seven to one in Iowa.

Jj
J is for Jobs
There are many careers in agriculture. Some possible jobs are
farmer, animal geneticist, agronomist, food scientist, beekeeper,
veterinarian, forest ranger, and so many more.

Kk
K is for Kernel
A kernel is the soft inner part of a seed or nut. One ear of corn
can have about 800 kernels in rows around the cob.

Ll
L is for Livestock
Cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, goats, poultry, and rabbits are the
main animals we think of when we talk about livestock.
Livestock are animals raised to produce meat, milk, eggs, fur,
leather, wool, and offspring.

Mm
M is for Meat
Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, goat, and others are all meat that come
from a farm. Meat can be bought from a butcher or a grocery store.
Some people even buy meat straight from a farm.

Nn
N is for Nutrients
A nutrient is a substance that provides nourishment essential
for growth and energy. Some nutrients are carbohydrates,
fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, calcium, fiber, potassium,
iron, and water.

Oo
O is for Orchard
An orchard is a piece of land planted with fruit trees.
Other orchards are nut or seed orchards. In an orchard, farmers
prune the trees, pick the fruit and nuts, check for insects,
and replace old trees with new ones.

Pp
P is for Prairie
A prairie is a large open area of grassland. Other names for a prairie
are grassland, field, savanna, meadow, or plain. Prairies still exist in
the Great Plains. Animals like badgers, beavers, bobcats, buffalo,
cottontail rabbits, coyote, elk, foxes, mountain lions, prairie dogs,
and white-tailed deer all live on the prairie.

Qq
Q is for Quality
Beef is evaluated and graded by the quality of the meat.
The highest quality cuts of beef are graded prime. Other quality
grades are choice, select, and standard.

Rr
R is for Ribbon
Youth show livestock or produce at fairs and earn ribbons.
The common ribbons are blue for 1st place, red for 2nd place,
and white for 3rd place.

Ss
Topsoil
Surface
Subsoil
Substratum
Bedrock
S is for Soil
Soil is the upper layer of the earth’s crust in which plants grow.
Soil comes in all different colors. Soil has three particle sizes:
sand (the largest), silt, and clay (the smallest).

Tt
T is for Tractor
A tractor is a large vehicle which travels at slow speeds designed
for use by farmers. It is used to plant and harvest crops. It can
haul a trailer or other machinery used in agriculture.

Uu
U is for Urban Agriculture
Urban agriculture is growing food in towns and cities.
Urban agriculture could include having rabbits, chickens, ducks,
or other animals. It could also include growing fruits, vegetables,
or other produce.

Vv
V is for Veterinarian
A veterinarian is a doctor of veterinary medicine that examines,
diagnoses, and treats diseases, disorders, and injuries in animals.
The Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine is one of the
country’s top agricultural and veterinary colleges.

Ww
W is for Women
Women represent about 36% of the world’s agricultural workforce.
Women produce more than half the world’s food, even though
they make up less than half of the workforce. They are farmers,
ranchers, agricultural researchers, educators, and more.

Xx
Xylem
Phloem
X is for Xylem
Xylem is a structure in the stem of a plant used to transport and
store water and nutrients in plants. It works with the phloem,
which transports and stores sugars, proteins, or nutrients.

Yy
Y is for Young Farmers
Most farmers in Iowa are between 35 and 65 years old.
Only 10% of Iowa farmers are under the age of 35. There are many
organizations, programs, and resources available for more young
farmers to get started.

Zz
Z is for Zoonoses
Zoonoses is disease or infection that can be transmitted from
animals to humans or humans to animals. Farmers practice
biosecurity and keep their animals healthy to help prevent
zoonotic diseases.

Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation
P.O. Box 14458 - West Des Moines, Iowa 50306-3458