Lesson 5 Crops Read and translate the text: a crop

LESSON 5
Crops

Read and translate the text:
A crop is a plant or plant product that can be grown and harvested for profit or subsistence. By use, crops fall into six categories: food crops, feed crops, fiber crops, oil crops, ornamental crops, and industrial crops. Food crops, such as fruit and vegetables, are harvested for human consumption. Grains, such as corn, wheat, and rice, are the world’s most popular food crops.
Food crops were the first crops to be harvested through agriculture. Agricultural development and the growth of civilizations led to the diversity of other types of crops.
Feed Crops
Feed crops, such as oats and alfalfa, are harvested for livestock consumption. These crops contain nutrients that animals need to develop. They are grown in agricultural fields but can also be found in natural meadows and pastures.
Forage crops are important for livestock farming. Animals feed directly on forages, such as grasses. Forages that are cut and fed to livestock while they are still fresh are called green chop. Alfalfa is a popular crop fed to livestock as green chop. Some forages are cut, allowed to dry in the field, and stored. These are called hay crops. Another type of forage crop is silage. Silage crops are harvested, then stored under conditions that allow the forage to break down (ferment) into acids. The wet, acidic silage is fed to livestock such as cattle. Principle feed crops include corn, barley, wheat, and oats. Each of these crops has different properties that are better suited for some animals’ diets over others. Barley, which is harder to digest, is most often fed to beef and dairy cattle because they have a tough, four-chambered stomach. Hull-less barley, which is easier to digest, is fed to swine and poultry.
The production of feed crops has risen dramatically with increased demand for meat worldwide. Increased production of feed crops has changed the agricultural landscape.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says 33 percent of arable land on Earth is used to produce food for livestock. This limits the production of crops for human consumption, specially for the world’s poorest people. Forests have been cleared to create pastures where livestock can graze. Almost 70 percent of land cleared from the Amazon rainforest, for instance, has been turned over to grazing.