Agriculture Industry.

The beginnings of agriculture predate the written history of humankind. No one knows when the first crop was cultivated, but at some time in the distant past humans discovered that seeds from certain wild grasses could be collected and planted in land that could be controlled, the end product of which could later be gathered for food. Most authorities believe this occurred at about the same time in both the Old World and New World, some eight thousand to ten thousand years ago. The earliest attempts at growing crops were primarily to supplement the food supply provided by hunting and gathering. However, as the ability to produce crops increased, people began to domesticate animals, and their reliance on hunting and gathering decreased, allowing the development of permanent human settlements.