Compiled by the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture
Last updated: Summer 2006
If you have a word to add to our list, contact us

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Complete pdf of all words - WARNING! - 57 pages

Agricultural Acts

Abandoned wells — Abandoned drainage wells and abandoned water wells on vacant farmsteads are of particular concern for agriculture. Abandoned wells can present both safety risks and a direct conduit by which groundwater can be contaminated by surface runoff. A number of states have incentive and/or regulatory programs to cap or seal abandoned wells.

Acid deposition / acid rain — Abnormally acidic (low pH) precipitation (or dry deposition) resulting from emissions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds that transform during chemical processes in the atmosphere. Acid deposition can affect the chemistry of soils and acidify lakes, adversely affecting forests and fish. It does not adversely affect cropland. The Clean Air Act includes a program focused on controlling precursor emissions of acid deposition—primarily sulfur oxides from coal-fired electric utilities.

ACID SOIL - Soil with a pH of less than 7.0.
Acquired lands — Lands in federal ownership that were obtained by the federal government through purchase, condemnation, gift, or exchange. One category of public lands.

ACRE - A unit of land equal to 160 sq. rods or 4840 sq. yards, or 208.7 feet on a side.. One acre of land can raise 24,000 heads of lettuce, 36,000 lbs. of potatoes, 800 bushels of apples, enough wheat to produce 2,600 loaves of bread or 28,800 lbs. of Navel oranges.

Acre-foot — The volume of water that would cover one acre of land (43,560 square feet) to a depth of one foot, equivalent to 325,851 gallons of water. An acre-foot is the basic measure of agricultural water use. On average, irrigators apply almost 2 feet of water on each acre through the crop growing season; the amount ranges from 4 feet in the Southwest to a half foot in some eastern states. Water withdrawn for irrigation from ground and surface sources totals about 150 maf (million acre-feet) of water annually.

Acreage allotment — Under provisions of permanent commodity price support law, a farm’s acreage allotment is its share, based on its previous production, of the national acreage needed to produce sufficient supplies of a particular crop. Under the FAIR Act of 1996, acreage allotments are not applicable to the contract commodities, peanuts, or sugar. However, acreage allotments still apply to tobacco.

Acreage base (or base acres) — A farm’s average planted acreage for a specific crop over the previous five years (for wheat or feed grains) or three years (for cotton or rice), plus land not planted because of certain acreage reduction or diversion programs. Commodity acreage bases were eliminated by the FAIR Act of 1996.

Acreage conservation reserve — The cropland acreage diverted from production under the acreage reduction program.

Acreage diversion programs — Historically, commodity programs included provisions to reduce commodity supplies by diverting acreage to non-crop uses. Examples include paid diversion, unpaid diversion, set-aside, and acreage reduction programs. The FAIR Act of 1996 eliminated authority for the USDA to implement annual acreage reduction programs. The Conservation Reserve Program pays farmers for the long-term conversion of fragile cropland land to conserving uses and is not considered to be an acreage diversion program.

Acreage limitation — With respect to commodity policy, acreage limitation might refer to planting constraints under an acreage reduction program, set-aside, or paid land diversion. In relation to water policy, it is the maximum number of acres that may be irrigated with less than full-cost water from Bureau of Reclamation projects. Generally, the acreage limitation for individuals or legal entities representing 25 people or fewer is 960 acres; however, amounts vary depending on a landowner’s legal status. Also referred to as ownership limitation, ownership entitlement, or non-full-cost entitlement.

Acreage Reduction Program The acreage reduction program (ARP) is a voluntary land retirement program administered by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). A farmer may idle a set portion of their crop acreage base of wheat, feed grains, cotton, or rice. They are not given a direct payment for ARP, but may be eligible for benefits such as CCC loans and deficiency payments. Participating farmers are sometimes offered the option of idling additional land under a paid diversion program that gives them a specific payment for each idle acre. ARP program was eliminated by 1996 Farm Bill.

Action levels — As opposed to tolerances (which are established for pesticide residues occurring as a direct result of proper usage), action levels are set for inadvertent residues resulting from previous legal use or accidental contamination. At the action level set by the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration and USDA are required to take enforcement action against the contaminated food or agricultural commodity. The term is also used in other regulatory programs.

Active ingredient — In any pesticide product, the component that kills, or otherwise controls, target pests. Pesticides are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency primarily on the basis of active ingredients.

Actual Production History (APH) — A measure of an individual farmer’s annual production of a commodity over a multi-year period. The APH serves as the basis for the farmer’s "normal" crop yield in the crop insurance program. When the actual crop yield deviates by more than a certain percentage from the APH, an insured producer is be eligible for an indemnity (loss) payment.

Actuarially sound — The financial goal of any insurance program (including the federal crop insurance program) is to operate on an actuarially sound basis; that is, total premiums collected should more than offset total indemnities paid out.

Acute toxicity — The ability of a substance to cause harmful effects soon after a single exposure or dose. Also, any severe poisonous effect resulting from a single short-term exposure to a toxic substance. See also chronic toxicity.

Ad valorem duty — A tariff expressed as a fixed percentage of the value of the imported commodity or product. Generally, by contrast, a specific duty is applied as a charge on each unit or specified quantity of an imported item (i.e., $5 per ton).

Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) Pilot Program — A pilot revenue insurance program first implemented in 1999 by USDA on a limited basis. It allows farmers to receive a guarantee of a percentage of their revenue for multiple commodities, including some livestock revenue, rather than just the revenue from an individual commodity.

Adjusted world price — As part of the upland cotton and the rice marketing assistance loan programs, USDA calculates and publishes, on a weekly basis, what is known as the adjusted world price (AWP). The AWP is the prevailing world price for upland cotton, adjusted to account for U.S. quality and location. Producers who have taken out USDA marketing assistance loans may choose to repay them at either the lesser of the established loan rate for upland cotton, plus interest, or the announced AWP for that week. The AWP for cotton also is used for determining Step 2 payments.

Adulterated food — Generally, impure, unsafe, or unwholesome; however, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act contain separate language defining in very specific (and lengthy) terms how the term "adulterated" will be applied to the foods each of these laws regulates. Products that are adulterated under these laws’ definitions cannot enter into commerce for human food use.

Advance deficiency payments — Initial payments (ranging from 30 to 50% of the total payment) made to crop producers when they signed up for federal commodity programs. If the total deficiency payment was eventually calculated to be less than the advance deficiency payment, the producer was required to refund the difference. The FAIR Act of 1996 replaces the target price/deficiency payment subsidy mechanism with production flexibility contract payments.

Aflatoxin A crop-damaging carcinogen that is produced by mold. It is prominent in crops that are stored while still moist. It is most prevalent in corn silage. If the infected corn is stored and eventually fed to livestock, it could be fatal to farm animals.

Agency for International Development (AID or USAID) — An independent agency of the executive branch, established in 1961, that administers U.S. international development and humanitarian assistance programs. The activities often involve joint efforts with private voluntary organizations (PVOs). USAID administers commodity donations for humanitarian or development purposes under Titles II and III of P.L. 480, or Food for Peace, and commodity import programs.

Aggregate measure of support (AMS) — An indicator of the amount of domestic support for agriculture. As used in the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture, the AMS refers to a measure of the gap between domestic and world prices multiplied by the quantity supported, plus any other commodity-specific transfers. Internal or domestic support reduction commitments in the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture are expressed in terms of reductions in a total AMS covering all trade-distorting internal support measures for agriculture.

Agrability - A national information and technology network for farmers, farm workers, and family members who have ongoing physical disability or medical difficulties and want to continue to farm. The program is operated by Penn State Cooperative Extension.

Agreement on Agriculture — The Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture reached in 1994 and implemented in U.S. law by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act of 1994 brings agricultural trade more fully under international trade rules and obligations. The Agreement provides for the conversion of quantitative barriers to trade to tariffs or tariff rate quotas, and for reductions in export subsidies and trade-distorting domestic support policies.

Ag in the Classroom - A program founded by the American Farm Bureau Federation and adopted by more than 30 Farm Bureau states, including Pennsylvania. It promotes the introduction of agricultural topics into the daily curriculum in elementary schools. A workshop is held each summer at Penn State University for elementary school teacher, grades K through 5. The program is financed by farmers and agribusinesses.

Agribusiness - The combination of the producing operations of a farm, the manufacture and distribution of farm equipment and supplies and the processing, storage, and distribution of farm commodities.

Agriculture - The science of cultivating the soils, producing crops, and raising livestock and the preparation of these products for market.

Agricultural Attache, Counselor, or Trade Officer — An agricultural expert, employed by the Foreign Agricultural Service, on the staff of an U.S. embassy, consulate, or agricultural trade office.

Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP) — Administered by the Farm Service Agency, this largest and oldest conservation cost-sharing program paid farmers up to $3,500 per year as an incentive to install approved conservation practices. It was terminated in the FAIR Act of 1996 and replaced by a new Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Agricultural Credit Association (ACA) — An institution of the Farm Credit System that has direct lending authority to make short-, intermediate- and long-term loans to agricultural producers, rural homeowners and some farm-related businesses.

Agricultural district — A planning term, which defines an area in which farming is the preferred economic activity. Districts may be voluntarily created by landowners who receive benefits, usually in return for not developing the land for a certain number of years, or they may be designated in a local land use plan.

Agricultural diversification — A system of farming that encourages production of a variety of plants and animals and their products as opposed to monoculture or large-scale specialization. Advocates of diversification argue that it provides greater income stability. Specialized farms benefit from economies of size.

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) — A USDA agency that establishes standards for grades of cotton, tobacco, meat, dairy products, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. It also operates inspection and grading services and market news services, and provides supervisory administration for federal marketing orders.

Agricultural Operation - The management and use of farming resources for the production of crops, livestock or poultry.

Agricultural Policy - The General principles by which a government is guided in its management of matters Pertaining to, or dealing with the science or art of cultivating soil, harvesting crops, and raising livestock.

Agricultural pollution — Wastes, emissions, and discharges arising from farming activities. Causes include runoff and leaching of pesticides and fertilizers; pesticide drift and volatilization; erosion and dust from cultivation; and improper disposal of animal manure and carcasses. Some agricultural pollution is point source, e.g., large feedlots, which require permits under the Clean Water Act, but much is nonpoint source, meaning that it derives from dispersed origins, e.g., blowing dust or nutrients leaching from fields. As most pollution control programs have focused on particular categories of point sources, nonpoint and unregulated point sources account for an increasingly large proportion of remaining pollution. Based on state surveys, the Environmental Protection Agency concludes that agricultural sources account for over one-half the pollution impairing surface water quality in the U.S. The Clean Water Act mandates that states develop and implement management programs to control nonpoint sources of water pollution.

Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) — A program, administered by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, that inspects incoming passengers, luggage, and cargo at U.S. ports of entry in order to protect U.S. agriculture from foreign animal and plant pests and diseases.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) — A USDA agency employing federal scientists to conduct basic, applied, and developmental research in the following fields: livestock; plants; soil, water and air quality; energy; food safety and quality; nutrition; food processing, storage, and distribution efficiency; non-food agricultural products; and international development.

Agricultural Security Areas Act 43 of 1981 enables farm landowners to join together to form Agricultural Security Areas (ASA's). There must be a minimum of 250 acres in an ASA. One of the major provisions of the Act is that a local government (municipality) in the ASA's may not enact ordinances that unreasonably restrict normal farming operations. Agricultural Security Area's are registered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. A farm in an ASA may qualify for the Purchase of Development Rights program.

Agricultural zoning — A designation intended to protect farmland and farming activities from incompatible nonfarm uses. Agricultural zoning can specify many factors, such as the uses allowed, minimum farm size, the number of nonfarm dwellings allowed, or the size of a buffer separating farm and nonfarm properties.

Agriculture in Concert with the Environment (ACE) — An Environmental Protection Agency program, administered cooperatively with USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, to fund research projects that reduce the risk of pollution from pesticides and soluble fertilizers.

Agronomy - The science of crop production and soil management.

Air pollution — Contamination of the atmosphere by substances that, directly or indirectly, adversely affect human health or welfare. Air pollution results from human activities, both deliberate releases (as from smokestacks) and fugitive emissions (as dust blown from streets or fields), and from natural sources, including sea spray, volcanic emissions, pollen, etc. The Clean Air Act authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate air pollution (see National Ambient Air Quality Standards).

Alcohol — The family name of a group of organic chemical compounds that includes methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, and others. Ethanol is produced from crops or residues with a high carbohydrate content. Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, and ethanol is blended with gasoline to produce gasohol. Most industrial ethanol produced in the U.S. is from corn wet-milling.

Allotment — In conjunction with commodity support programs, acreage allotments and marketing quotas serve to limit a farm’s output or volume marketed. For federal lands grazing, an allotment is an area designated and managed for grazing of livestock. The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service stipulate the number of livestock and time period (season) of use for each allotment under their respective jurisdictions.

Allowable sale quantity (ASQ) — A forestry term defined in law as the maximum amount of timber that can be sold every year, forever, from a national forest; in forest planning, the annual timber sale target for a national forest.
Alkaline Soil - Soil with a pH of more than 7.0.

Alternative agriculture — A systematic approach to farming intended to reduce agricultural pollution, enhance sustainability, and improve efficiency and profitability. Overall, alternative agriculture emphasizes management practices that take advantage of natural processes (such as nutrient cycles, nitrogen fixation, and pest-predator relationships), improve the match between cropping patterns and agronomic practices on the one hand and the productive potential and physical characteristics of the land on the other, and make selective use of commercial fertilizer and pesticides to ensure production efficiency and conservation of soil, water, energy, and biological resources. Examples of alternative agricultural practices include use of crop rotation, animal and green manures, soil & water conserving tillage systems, such as no-till planting methods, integrated pest management, and use of genetically improved crops and animals. Consonant with sustainable agriculture, alternative agriculture focuses on those farming practices that go beyond traditional or conventional agriculture, though it does not exclude conventional practices that are consistent with the overall system.

Alternative fuels — Substitutes for traditional liquid, oil-derived motor vehicle fuels like gasoline and diesel. Includes methanol, ethanol, biodiesel, compressed natural gas, and others. The alternatives are promoted for pollution reduction properties and/or to reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. Ethanol can be produced from grain, agricultural wastes, and excess crops.

Ambient Stream Concentration The range in concentration or level of a water quality parameter, which would be expected to occur in the absence of human activities.

American Farm Bureau Federation The world's largest general farm organization. Formed in 1919, it has affiliates in all U.S. states, Alaska and Puerto Rico and represents more than 4.7 million members. The general offices are located in Park Ridge, Illinois. The legislative office is in Washington, D.C. It is governed by a 22-person board of directors elected from farmer members in designated regions across the U.S.

(American) Heritage Rivers Protection Program — A Clinton Administration initiative to deliver federal resources more efficiently and effectively that supports voluntary community efforts to enhance and protect designated rivers or river segments; the designations were selected based on proposals submitted by local sponsors. Portions of these designations are located in or affect agricultural lands.

Ammonia — A pungent alkaline gas, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH3). It is formed naturally when bacteria decompose nitrogen-containing compounds, such as manures. Emissions of ammonia can be a problem in enclosed livestock facilities, and in the ambient air they may contribute to very fine particulate matter. Synthetic ammonia is used as a nitrogen fertilizer. Also called anhydrous ammonia, it is the basic feed stock for the production of all nitrogen fertilizers as well as being a direct application material. Synthetic ammonia is made through a reaction between natural gas and nitrogen.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) — A USDA agency established to conduct inspections, regulatory and control programs to protect animal and plant health. It utilizes border inspections to prevent international transmission of pests and disease, administers quarantine and eradication programs, and certifies that U.S. exports meet importing countries’ animal and plant health standards.

Animal Concentration Areas Barnyards, feedlots, loafing areas, exercise lots or other animal confinement areas that will not maintain a growing crop or where deposited manure nutrients are in excess of crop needs.

Animal Damage Control (ADC) Program — Renamed in 1997 as the Wildlife Services (WS) program, it is an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service effort to protect agriculture, natural resources, property or endangered species from unwanted and potentially harmful effects of wildlife species, including predators. ADC also works to prevent wildlife/airplane collision hazards at civilian and military airports.

Animal drugs — Drugs intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in animals. The Food and Drug Administration has the broad mandate under the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act to assure the safety and effectiveness of animal drugs and their use in all animals, including farm animals. Before FDA formally approves an animal drug, the sponsor or manufacturer of the drug must show in its premarket approval application that the drug is "safe and effective" in scientific testing. Such testing data, included with the application, must demonstrate a methodology to detect and measure any residue left in edible animal products and show that edible animal products when ready-to-eat are free from unsafe residues. Farmers and veterinarians treating farm animals must adhere to any restrictions about withdrawal times, or any warning or use constraints stated on the drug label.

Animal Equivalent Unit -  An animal equivalent unit (AEU) is equal to one thousand pounds of live weight of livestock or poultry animals, regardless of the actual numbers of animals. The EAU is used to define allowable weight per acre of cropland or land suitable for application of animal manure.

Animal feeding operation — Facilities where animals are kept and raised in confined situations; feed is brought to the animals. The General Accounting Office estimates that there are 450,000 such operations nationwide. When large enough, these facilities are designated as concentrated animal feeding operations and they become subject to regulatory requirements to prevent point source pollution. USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency issued a Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations on March 9, 1999. The goal is to minimize water pollution from confinement facilities and land application of manure through adoption of site-specific comprehensive nutrient management plans.

Animal Husbandry The proper breeding, feeding and care of farm animals.

Animal identification and traceback — Currently, the private marketing system, assisted by computerization of records, generally can trace products back to their original suppliers, although not necessarily all the way to the farm. It has been suggested that a type of traceback program might be formalized to better monitor and contain outbreaks of food borne illness. USDA has called "animal identification" an important element of any traceback system. Livestock producers already frequently identify their animals using back-tags, ear tags, tattoos, and other devices, so that incorporating animal identification into a traceback program might not be difficult. While few dispute the usefulness of animal identification and traceback systems in general, whether they should be made regulatory requirements, or remain voluntary, is a contentious issue.

Animal protein — Protein used in livestock feed that is derived from meatpacking or rendering plants, surplus milk or milk products, and marine sources.

Animal Rights -  A philosophy that animals have the same rights as people. They want to end the use of animals as companions and pets. In extreme cases, they oppose the use of animals for food, fiber, entertainment and medical research.

Animal unit — A standard measure, based on feed requirements, used to combine various classes of livestock according to size, weight, age, and use. For federal lands, an animal unit represents one mature cow, bull, steer, heifer, horse, mule, or five sheep, or five goats, all over six months of age.

Animal unit month (AUM) — An animal unit month (AUM) is the amount of forage needed to sustain one animal unit, or its equivalent, for one month. Grazing fees for federal lands are charged by animal unit months or head-months.

Animal Welfare A philosophy that animals, particularly those under human ownership or responsibility, deserve proper care and respect, including food, shelter and humane treatment

Antemortem — Before slaughter. As used in the meat and poultry inspection program, the term refers to the examination that USDA meat inspectors are required to conduct of all live animals just before they are killed.

Antibiotics — Chemical substances produced by microorganisms or synthetically that inhibit the growth of, or destroy, bacteria. Antibiotics are used at therapeutic levels to fight disease in humans and animals. Since the 1950s they have been used at subtherapeutic levels in animal feeds to enhance growth and prevent disease in livestock and poultry. Rules guiding the use of veterinary drugs and medicated animal feeds, including tolerance levels for drug residues in meats for human consumption, are promulgated by the Center for Veterinary Medicine of the Food and Drug Administration. The Food Safety and Inspection Service enforces the FDA rules through a sampling and testing program that is part of its overall meat and poultry inspection program.
APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). A department of the USDA that is responsible for enforcing regulations governing the import and export of plants and animals and certain agricultural products.

Apiary - A collection of bee colonies or bee hives kept for their honey.

Appraised stumpage price (or appraised rate) — On national forests, the Forest Service estimate of the market price for timber to be cut and removed. It cannot be less than the base rates. The appraised price is the advertised minimum for competitive bidding by purchasers.

APZ - Agricultural Protection Zones are designed to minimize land use conflicts in agricultural areas that have prime agricultural soil. Uses of the land that would be disruptive to agriculture are prohibited. Non farm dwellings are generally permitted, but their numbers are limited.

Aquaculture The production of aquatic plants or animals in a controlled environment, such as ponds, raceways, tanks or cages. Species includes alligators, hybrid striped bass, carp, eel, red fish, northern pike, sturgeon and tilapia.

Aquifer — An underground geological formation, or group of formations, containing usable amounts of groundwater that can supply wells or springs for domestic, industrial, and irrigation uses. Removing more groundwater from an aquifer than is naturally replenished is called overdrafting, and can result in a dropping water table, increased pumping costs, land subsidence (which reduces the future recharge capacity), saltwater intrusion, reduced streamflows in interconnected ground- and surface-water systems, and exhaustion of groundwater reserves. Overdrafting groundwater occurs primarily in the Plains States and the West.

Area yield options contract — A contract entitling the holder to receive a payment when the area yield is below (above) the put (call) option strike yield. The strike yield is the yield at which the holder of an option contract can exercise the option.

Arid Climate - A dry climate with an annual precipitation usually less than 10 inches. It is not suitable for crop production without irrigation.

ARS - A research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. ARS has nearly 175 laboratories and research stations in the U.S. Many are affiliated with an agricultural college or research university. The ARS Center is located in Beltsville, Md.

Artificial Insemination - Artificial insemination (AI) is the mechanical injection of semen into the womb of the female animal with a syringe-like apparatus.

Assessment — Generally an automatic or mandatory deduction from a producer’s marketing receipts used to fund activities that promote or otherwise support a particular farm product. Under certain agricultural marketing orders or commodity promotion programs, assessments may be applied against receipts to help pay for generic advertising or research. The term check-off is often used interchangeably with assessment. Federal deficit reduction marketing assessments have also been connected to certain commodity price support programs (dairy, peanuts, sugar, tobacco, and soybeans) to help reduce the federal budget deficit, which arguably is higher because of the programs.

Assimilative capacity — The ability of a body of water to cleanse itself; its capacity to receive waste waters or toxic materials without deleterious effects and without damage to aquatic life or humans who consume the water.

Attainment area — An area considered to have air quality as good as or better than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards as defined in the Clean Air Act. An area may be an attainment area for one pollutant and a non-attainment area for others.

Attractant — A chemical or agent that lures insects or other pests by stimulating their sense of smell. Attractants are a nontoxic technique for luring insects into traps and are heavily used in orchard crops. Though distinct from toxic baits, attractants are regulated as pesticides.