--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Agriculture is the source of…" description: "\"“Agriculture is the source of civilization, and”\" — Sarah Ballantyne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/sarah-ballantyne-25003_agriculture_agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilizatio_361862.jpg" --- # Agriculture is the source of civilization, and ![“Agriculture is the source of civilization, and” quote by Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/sarah-ballantyne-25003_agriculture_agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilizatio_361862.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/sarah-ballantyne-25003_agriculture_agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilizatio_361862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/sarah-ballantyne-25003_agriculture_agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilizatio_361862.jpg) > ““Agriculture is the source of civilization, and”” [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Agriculture enabled stable food supplies, allowing complex societies to develop. **In simple terms:** Farming built civilization. Key Takeaway Recognize food's role in culture. Themes civilization food society Mood reflective analytical Type historical educational When to use this quote - urban planning - food security - historical studies Key Concepts economics anthropology sustainability Questions to Reflect On - How does modern agriculture shape our values? - What responsibilities arise from this foundation? A Different Perspective Agriculture alone doesn't guarantee progress; social structures matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agriculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) ## Related quotes > [Agriculture is the #1 source of deforestation. By some estimates it accounts for 80% of the forests chopped down in the tropics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramez-naam/agriculture-is-the-1-source-of-deforestation-by-some-estimates-it/) [Ramez Naam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramez-naam/) > [It would be wryly interesting if in human history the cultivation of marijuana led generally to the invention of agriculture, and thereby to civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-would-be-wryly-interesting-if-in-human-history-the-cultivation-of/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [When people, land, and community are as one, all three members prosper; when they relate not as members but as competing interests, all three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-jackson/when-people-land-and-community-are-as-one-all-three-members-prosper/) [Wes Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-jackson/) > [I believe we can create a truly humane, sustainable, and health food production system without killing any animals. I imagine a revolution in veganic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/i-believe-we-can-create-a-truly-humane-sustainable-and-health-food/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [The great advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science or literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-great-advances-of-civilization-whether-in-architecture-or/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [More than a mere alternative strategy, regenerative agriculture represents a fundamental shift in our culture’s relationship to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/more-than-a-mere-alternative-strategy-regenerative-agriculture/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [What was lost in the European cataclysm was not only the Jewish past--the whole life of a civilization--but also a major share ofthe Jewish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/what-was-lost-in-the-european-cataclysm-was-not-only-the-jewish-past/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [“Civilization is only a pretense; in the crisis, we become mere apes again, forgetting the rational biped of our pretensions and becoming instead the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/civilization-is-only-a-pretense-in-the-crisis-we-become-mere-apes/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We civilizations now know ourselves mortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/we-civilizations-now-know-ourselves-mortal/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [Civilization had too many rules for me, so I did my best to rewrite them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/civilization-had-too-many-rules-for-me-so-i-did-my-best-to-rewrite/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [The first requisite of civilization is that of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-first-requisite-of-civilization-is-that-of-justice/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“Spiritual activity, education, civilization, culture, the idea are all vague, indefinite concepts, under the banner of which it is quite convenient to use words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/spiritual-activity-education-civilization-culture-the-idea-are-all/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [When you study history and look at every civilization that has grown up and died off, they all leave one remnant: a major sports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-study-history-and-look-at-every-civilization-that-has-grown/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) ## More by Sarah Ballantyne > [“While a definitive causal link between diet and autoimmune disease in general has yet to be made, more and more autoimmune diseases (and many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/while-a-definitive-causal-link-between-diet-and-autoimmune-disease-in/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“Studies have shown that families who eat dinner together are closer and healthier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/studies-have-shown-that-families-who-eat-dinner-together-are-closer/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“consumption of grains is probably responsible for most, if not all, of the noncommunicable diseases we face as a civilization today, we”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/consumption-of-grains-is-probably-responsible-for-most-if-not-all-of/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“support nutritional guidelines that are already twenty years out of sync with biological, medical, and nutrition research.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/support-nutritional-guidelines-that-are-already-twenty-years-out-of/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“genetically modified grains typically contain higher levels of agglutinins to help protect industrial crops from pests. Wheat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/genetically-modified-grains-typically-contain-higher-levels-of/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“Meat from grass-fed and pasture-raised animals tends to be more nutrient-dense than conventional meat. Although the exact nutrient content will vary from species to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/meat-from-grass-fed-and-pasture-raised-animals-tends-to-be-more/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“It’s also important to eat what most people would typically recognize as a “balanced meal”: some protein, some fat, and some carbohydrates, including fiber.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/it-s-also-important-to-eat-what-most-people-would-typically-recognize/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“It is also worth mentioning that several ailments are known to occur very frequently in conjunction with autoimmune disorders. They are: Cholangitis Chronic fatigue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/it-is-also-worth-mentioning-that-several-ailments-are-known-to-occur/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“Don’t eat anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn’t recognizeas food. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/don-t-eat-anything-your-great-great-grandmother-wouldn-t-recognizeas/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“Doctors give drugs of which they know little, into bodies, of which they know less, for diseases of which they know nothing at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/doctors-give-drugs-of-which-they-know-little-into-bodies-of-which/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“Grains: Barley, corn, durum, fonio, Job’s tears, kamut, millet, oats, rice, rye,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/grains-barley-corn-durum-fonio-job-s-tears-kamut-millet-oats-rice-rye/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“Whole-grain products have a profound impact on blood glucose: for example, two slices of multigrain bread increase blood glucose as much as six spoonfuls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/whole-grain-products-have-a-profound-impact-on-blood-glucose-for/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“Interestingly, there is even less diversity of gut bacteria in obese people than in lean people: more food does not equal more nutrition, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/interestingly-there-is-even-less-diversity-of-gut-bacteria-in-obese/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“It is not an exaggeration to say that gut health is everything. The health of your gut has a profound effect on your overall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/it-is-not-an-exaggeration-to-say-that-gut-health-is-everything-the/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) > [“A number of clinical trials have shown benefits (though sometimes modest) of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/a-number-of-clinical-trials-have-shown-benefits-though-sometimes/) [Sarah Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) [Explore all 23 Sarah Ballantyne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/) ## More Agriculture quotes > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [I would say my fraternity was nothing but a bunch of farm boys; we weren't really in the whole fraternity scene, but yeah, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-would-say-my-fraternity-was-nothing-but-a-bunch-of-farm-boys-we/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I grew up in Italy, and our country is a country of great agriculture and food produce. It wasn't like I was urban and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/i-grew-up-in-italy-and-our-country-is-a-country-of-great-agriculture/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. Congress meets to relieve you again next week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/farmers-get-out-your-sense-of-humor-congress-meets-to-relieve-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Because Iran understands Afghanistan far better than Americans do, making Iran a partner in a long-term effort to transform Afghan agriculture makes sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/because-iran-understands-afghanistan-far-better-than-americans-do/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Sara Scherr and Jeff McNeely have given us a thoughtful, sensible book about a topic of great importance to the world. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-serageldin/sara-scherr-and-jeff-mcneely-have-given-us-a-thoughtful-sensible-book/) [Ismail Serageldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-serageldin/) > [People want development, modern thinking. They want to encourage and support research in agriculture and other fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharad-pawar/people-want-development-modern-thinking-they-want-to-encourage-and/) [Sharad Pawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharad-pawar/) > [Growing corn, which from a biological perspective had always been a process of capturing sunlight to turn into food, has in no small measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/growing-corn-which-from-a-biological-perspective-had-always-been-a/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [When politicians talk of loan waiver, they are accepting that agriculture is not economically viable. They are giving a wrong signal that farming is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-s-swaminathan/when-politicians-talk-of-loan-waiver-they-are-accepting-that/) [M. S. Swaminathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-s-swaminathan/) > [Nitrogen-based fertilizers, which came into wide use after World War II, helped prompt the agricultural revolution that has allowed the Earth to feed its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/nitrogen-based-fertilizers-which-came-into-wide-use-after-world-war/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [Agriculture is one economic activity that does not obey the laws of demand and supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/agriculture-is-one-economic-activity-that-does-not-obey-the-laws-of/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [More than a mere alternative strategy, regenerative agriculture represents a fundamental shift in our culture’s relationship to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/more-than-a-mere-alternative-strategy-regenerative-agriculture/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) [Browse all 889 Agriculture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Agriculture is the source of civilization, and”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Ballantyne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilization-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agriculture" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilization-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/sarah-ballantyne-25003_agriculture_agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilizatio_361862.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/sarah-ballantyne-25003_agriculture_agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilizatio_361862.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/sarah-ballantyne-25003_agriculture_agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilizatio_361862.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Agriculture is the source of civilization, and” — Sarah Ballantyne", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sarah Ballantyne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ballantyne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Agriculture is the source of civilization,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilization-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ballantyne/agriculture-is-the-source-of-civilization-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```