1. Agriculture is the systematic raising of useful plants and livestock under the management of man (Rimando, T.J.. 2004.

Crop Science 1: Fundamentals

of Crop Science. U.P. Los Baños: University Publications Office. p. 1).

2. Agriculture is the growing of both plants and animals for human needs (Abellanosa, A.L. and H.M. Pava. 1987. Introduction to Crop Science. Central
Mindanao University, Musuan, Bukidnon: Publications Office. p. 238).

3. Agriculture is the deliberate effort to modify a portion of Earth's surface through the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock for sustenance or
economic gain. (Rubenstein, J.M. 2003. The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education, Inc. p. 496).

The next 6 definitions give more insights on what is agriculture. These are presumably for legal purposes or applied in legal disputes.
4. Agriculture includes farming in all branches and, among other things, includes the cultivation and tillage of soil, dairying, the production, cultivation,
growing and harvesting of any agricultural and horticultural commodities, the raising of livestock or poultry, and any practices performed by a farmer on a
farm as an incident to or in conjunction with such farming operations, but does not include the manufacturing or processing of sugar, coconuts, abaca,
tobacco, pineapple or other farm products. (Art. 97 (d), Chapter I, Title II, Labor Code of the Philippines).

5. Agriculture, Agricultural Enterprise or Agricultural Activity means the cultivation of the soil, planting of crops, growing of fruit trees, including the
harvesting of such farm products, and other farm activities and practices performed by a farmer in conjunction with such farming operations done by
persons whether natural or juridical. (Sec. 3b, Chapter I, Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 (R.A. No. 6657 as amended by R. A. 7881),
Philippines. Retrieved September 2, 2010 from http://www.chanrobles.com/legal4agrarianlaw. htm.

6. “Farming” or “agriculture” shall include farming in all of its branches and the cultivation and tillage of the soil, dairying, the production, cultivation,
growing and harvesting of any agricultural, aquacultural, floricultural or horticultural commodities, the growing and harvesting of forest products upon
forest land, the raising of livestock including horses, the keeping of horses as a commercial enterprise, the keeping and raising of poultry, swine, cattle
and other domesticated animals used for food purposes, bees, fur-bearing animals, and any forestry or lumbering operations, performed by a farmer, who
is hereby defined as one engaged in agriculture or farming as herein defined, or on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with such farming operations,
including preparations for market, delivery to storage or to market or to carriers for transportation to market. (Sec. 1a, Chapter 128, M.G.L. Retrieved
September 2, 2010 from http://www.mass.gov/legis/mgl/128-1a. htm).

More on What is Agriculture: Definition from Court Decisions

7. Agricuture is the science of cultivating the soil, harvesting crops, and raising livestock and also as the science or art of the production of plants and
animals useful to man and in varying degrees the preparation of such products for man's use and their disposal. Miller v. Dixon, 176 Neb. 659, 127
N.W.2d 203, 206 (Black, HC. 1990. Black's Law Dictionary: Definitions of the Terms and Phrases of American and English Jurisprudence, Ancient and
Modern. 6th ed. St. Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Co. p. 68).

8. Agriculture includes farming in all its branches and among other things includes the cultivation and tillage of the soil, dairying, the production,
cultivation, growing, and harvesting of any agricultural or horticultural commodities, the raising of livestock or poultry, and any practices performed by a
farmer on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with some farming operations, but does not include the manufacturing or processing of sugar,
coconuts, abaca, tobacco, pineapples or other farm products. (Rileco, Inc. v. Mindanao Congress of Labor-Ramie United Workers’ Assn., 26 SCRA 224
[1968]. It also includes production activities involving the use of saltbeds. (Lapina v. CAR, 21 SCRA 194 [1967]). (Agpalo, R.E. 1997. Agpalo’s Legal
Words and Phrases. Mla., Phils.: Rex Book Store. pp. 33-34).

So, once more, what is agriculture?

The first 3 are scientific and practical definitions while numbered 4 to 8 are legal definitions of agriculture. These last 6 give more details on what is
agriculture by enumerating the activities covered by the enterprise or practice. That contending parties have found the necessity to elevate to the Court
controversies in relation to what is agriculture only underscores the uncertainty some feel for the term. The following conclusions can be made from these
definitions and from those of specialized fields under agriculture:

1. Agriculture is an enterprise or business, activity or practice. It is synonymous to farming.

2. The practice of agriculture is based on systematized body of knowledge (science) and requires skill (art).

3. Agriculture often involves the cultivation of the soil to grow plants and the raising of animals for human needs. The words “crops” and “livestock” are
also used. However, both words are special or technical terms. “Crops" should clearly mean plants (with exceptions, as in mushroom) which are useful to
man (read Agricultural Crops Classifications) while “livestock” applies to both domesticated animals and poultry. However, cultivation which essentially
involves disturbing the soil does not apply to crop production systems using soil-less media, as in hydroponics.

4. Agriculture is practiced for the purpose of producing food and other human needs such as clothing, shelter, medicines, weapons, tools, ornaments, and
indefinitely many more. It is likewise practiced as a business for economic gain. The ultimate purpose is essentially important in clarifying what is
agriculture.