Agriculture

Agriculture is the practice of cultivating crops, resulting in foodstuff and products utilized to sustain life.
==Background==
Agriculture is key to the growth of any society, with surpluses in food encouraging further development. Before the Great War, the United States Department of Agriculture oversaw several research projects such as the American Crop Protection Initiative, that through the Secretary and Senate Committee on Agriculture, reviewed the use of biological agents to eliminate crop pests.Department of Ag projects Despite these attempts, a global hunger crisis persisted in the weeks before the Great War, leading to food riots.Boston Bugle building terminal entries; Boston Bugle article terminal, Article 3 Vault 22 in the Mojave Desert served as a research laboratory for Vault-Tec agricultural scientists seeking to improve food production in arid regions, with the express goal of helping to fight this hunger crisis.Vault 22 entrance sign: "Under the heart of the Mojave desert, Vault 22 provides a fertile laboratory for experimentation on staple crops to maximize their potential. Within the Vault, scientists and horticulturalists continue to innovate our understanding of agricultural possibilities in the fight against the global hunger crisis. The scientists who developed a miracle fertilizer within have made a profound impact on your ordinary life. So take a second to reflect on the hard work of Vault-Tec scientists in improving crop production in arid biomes like the Mojave, and for increasing crops' resistance to insects, drought, and disease."
Following the war, some species of plants survived, and despite mutations, could be harvested and consumed.Two Skies cave terminal entries; terminal; Year 2083. These surviving plants allowed agriculture to begin once again, survivors reemerging to plant and harvest crops. Large scale farms such as the NCR sharecropper farms emerged over time, while others engaged in researching hydroponics.Rivet City terminal entries; Doctor Li's terminal, Hydroponics ProgressLone Wanderer: "What is this lab? What are you doing here?"Madison Li: "This is the Rivet City Science lab. It's taken many long years to put together, but we've done well for ourselves. Our work on portable fusion power and hydroponics are coming along quite nicely, if not quite according to schedule."(Madison Li's dialogue)
==New California==
During the 2100s, agriculture is limited throughout the former state of California. The town of Adytum is unique for being able to conduct hydroponic farming.Vault Dweller: "I could try to get the parts to fix the hydroponic farms."Miles: "Really? That would be wonderful! We're just missing a few parts, but I'm sure that if you could scrounge up the right pieces, we could be self-sufficient! Sammael might be able to give you some help."(Miles' dialogue) By the 2200s, with the rise of the New California Republic (NCR), dedicated farms and ranches are now maintained to feed the growing population. 
Unified behind the NCR, the citizens and communities of the region have reliable sources of food and water. In addition, groups such as the Republican Farmers' Committee lobby to keep their interests at the forefront of lawmaker's priorities. However, projections by the Office of Science and Industry, as well as commentary from NCR military officials, warn that current NCR agriculture may not be enough to feed the population within ten years, due to draining of aquifers, as well as lack of proper environmental conditions.The Courier: "NCR has a food shortage?"Thomas Hildern: "Not yet. But our government understands the value of proactive thought. Our studies project an imbalance between production and consumption. Or, for a layman such as yourself - not enough food, too many mouths to feed. Mass starvation. In a decade or so."(Thomas Hildern's dialogue)Hanlon: "Back west, you don't see too many of these. Lakes, I mean. Natural or man-made. Any kind, really. We neglected the dams or pumped all the water out a long time ago. Owens, Isabella, the San Luis. Drained the aquifers of everything they had. Just a lot of mud and dust now. It's a different feeling, watching the sun come up over the water. Takes some getting used to. But if you're here long enough, it starts to seem normal. That's what a ranger's life is now. Looking east."(Hanlon's dialogue) 
;Agricultural sites
* Arroyo: The town produced broc flower, xander root, and other vegetables. Hakunin grows hallucinogenic plants.
* Boneyard: The town of Adytum produces their own food with hydroponic farms.
* Hofmann Farm: a family farm.
* The Hub: The city refines and trades water, and farms line the perimeter, such as one owned by Irwin.
* Klamath: The town produces and trades plants and vegetables.
* Modoc: A dedicated farming town that produces crops, as well as fruits such as apples. 
* Shady Sands: Irrigates local soil to support crop production, producing primarily maize and cabbage. 
* Irwin's farm: a family farm.
* Ghost Farm: A small farm on the outskirts of Modoc.Karl: "I was a peaceful farmer that worked the fields as hard as any man -- until they started showing up at night. All glowing, with pasty white skins... Spooked the hell out of me, it did. Night after night they showed up and stole crops and cattle alike; I could do nothing to stop them."
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==Capital Wasteland==
The Capital Wasteland lacks stable agriculture and reliable sources of clean water, as the Potomac River is irradiated. A science lab led by Madison Li uses hydroponic farming to create herbs, potatoes, lima beans and carrots.Rivet City terminal entries; Doctor Li's terminal, Hydroponics Progress Chief Botanist Janice Kaplinski hopes to eventually grow broccoli.Janice Kaplinski: "Be careful around these fruits and vegetables. They're worth more to us than you are."(Janice Kaplinski's dialogue)Janice Kaplinski: "The work that Doctor Li is doing is just amazing. I might even be able to produce broccoli in the hydroponic gardens next year."(Janice Kaplinski's dialogue)Janice Kaplinski: "I'd like a potato and some carrots. Oh, and put some of this herb in hot water. If I'm lucky, it will make tea."(Janice Kaplinski's dialogue)Janice Kaplinski: "I've got a new strain of lima bean I'm developing. I'll bring a sample sometime."(Janice Kaplinski's dialogue) The success of the lab allows Rivet City to export produce elsewhere in the region.Rivet City terminal entries; Bannon's terminal, Council Meeting Minutes
Nearby Point Lookout produces punga fruit, considered sacred by local tribals, that purges radiation and restores health. The tribal members at the Ark & Dove Cathedral have cultivated the plants, producing an enhanced version known as refined punga fruit.
;Agricultural sites
* Chaste Acres Dairy Farm, a family farm.
* Hilltop farm ruins, a small farming colony on a hill.Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.334 
* Point Lookout: The residents cultivate the naturally growing punga fruit. The local tribals have managed to refine the fruit, increasing their health effects.
* Rivet City: The location of Dr. Li's hydroponics farm, the only instance of farming in the Capital Wasteland.
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==Mojave Wasteland==
The lack of significant radiation from nuclear attacks, as had befallen other parts of the country, meant that agriculture in the Mojave Wasteland rebounded much more successfully than was possible elsewhere. Hoover Dam and Lake Mead provide ample fresh water for farms and ranches in the region, especially once the local infrastructure was repaired by the NCR following the First Battle of Hoover Dam in 2277.
The NCR Office of Science and Industry (OSI) took great interest in the region, hoping to learn new agricultural techniques to take back west to prevent potential food shortages. Responsible for overseeing farming efforts around New Vegas, the OSI branch set up their headquarters at Camp McCarran to oversee the NCR sharecropper farms and greenhouses.The Courier: "What kind of crops do you grow?"Trent Bascom: "Everything I can. Farmers out here don't have the luxury of being picky. I get by mostly on maize and tobacco."(Trent Bascom's dialogue) Courier: "What's the Thaler Act?"Trent Bascom: "Something the politicians back in Shady Sands came up with. They pay us to move here and farm the land. They even protect the fields."The Courier: "Why is this work a bum deal?"Trent Bascom: "Bad soil and rationed water. It's to be expected around here, but the rationing's off. Worst part is NCR won't admit it. Pretty hard to meet their crop quotas with twenty percent less water than we're supposed to be getting. Not that OSI cares about any of this."(Trent Bascom's dialogue) Part of these farming initiatives serves a political purpose alongside a humanitarian one, with Ambassador Dennis Crocker noting that the influx of crops will allow for additional sites to be established, resulting in more residents included to vote for New Vegas' annexation by the NCR.NCR Embassy terminal entries; terminal, Farming Report
Aside from large-scale efforts, small farms were likewise successfully established in the arid Mojave Desert. Even before the Great War, efforts were underway to solve the global hunger crisis, such as with the research undertaken at Vault 22, which was "a fertile laboratory for experimentation on staple crops to maximize their potential." Scientists and horticulturalists worked to innovate and expand their understanding of agriculture. Before the War, they had already developed an effective fertilizer that improved crop production, while other areas of their research focused on increasing crops' resistance to insects, drought, and disease. Director Thomas Hildern of the OSI had an interest in the vault, seeking someone to recover any potential agricultural data.
In Westside, citizens developed a system of sustainable agriculture. The Followers of the Apocalypse have long assisted with educating farmers on agricultural best practices, such as how to rotate crops, and in the Mojave the group continues to do so.Courier: "Hildern mentioned the Followers of the Apocalypse..."Angela Williams: "My father used say good things about them, but that was years ago... back when they'd teach farmers and ranchers about crop rotation and the like."(Angela Williams' dialogue) The group and engineer Tom Anderson assisted Westside citizens in establishing the Westside Co-op, a small scale business based on an irrigation system, allowing the settlement to reach a stable level of self-sufficiency. 
Farms are located on the outskirts of the Mojave, including those in Goodsprings, Freeside, Wolfhorn ranch, Whittaker farmstead, Novac, Brooks tumbleweed ranch, Matthews Animal Husbandry Farm, Horowitz farmstead, the raided farmstead and the Southern Nevada wind farm. In addition, the Boomers at Nellis Air Force Base had devised a successful irrigation, solar and farming operation, ensuring their own sustainability by way of cultivating soy, legumes, vegetables and grain.The Courier: "You must cultivate soy or legumes for protein, in addition to grains."Pete: "Indeed we do! Very impressive." (Pete's dialogue)The Courier: "I guess poor nutrition could explain a lot of your behavior." Pete: "Our nutrition is not deficient! We supplement our diet of grains and vegetables with soy and legumes for protein." (Pete's dialogue)The Courier: "How do you survive, totally cut off from the world?" Pete: "Nellis is a completely self-sufficient community! We draw water from Lake Mead, solar arrays provide power, and we grow our own crops!" (Pete's dialogue)
;Agricultural sites
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==The Commonwealth==
Agricultural production in the Commonwealth is unhindered by environmental concerns, with access to arable lands and usable water readily available similar to that before the Great War. Several pre-War tractors and tilling mechanisms are found in or around fields, alongside grain silos and combines. 
Several settlements in the region are specifically dedicated to agriculture, such as Graygarden and Greentop Nursery, utilizing large greenhouses to grow crops. Several groups in the region cause concerns for the farmers, of being stolen from, intimidated or forced into handing over their crops to those who did not do the work, such as raiders or the Brotherhood of Steel.Proctor Teagan: "Most farmers won't be too happy about donating their crops, so watch your back out there. You'll find the farm on your map. Don't forget, you get their cooperation by any means necessary."(Proctor Teagan's dialogue)Blake Abernathy: "Word of advice, though. If you do start up a farm, be ready to deal with the raiders. Why do all the hard work when you can just take what you want at gunpoint?"Sole Survivor: "Bastards, all of them."Blake Abernathy: "Yeah, but they're the best-armed bastards in the Commonwealth."(Blake Abernathy's dialogue)
Conversely, the Institute considers agricultural production a key priority and invests its resources in the Biosciences Division, led by Dr. Clayton Holdren, to engineering and producing viable food stock for their staff. 
;Agricultural sites
* Abernathy farm: A family farm that produces a significant crop output.
* Breakheart Banks: A family farm overrun by super mutants shortly before October of 2287.
* County crossing: A small farm situated on the outskirts of Boston that grows mutfruit.
* Diamond City: The town contains a large farm in the eastern section with brahmin and a large variety of crops. A greenhouse can also be found in the town.
* Finch farm: A family-run farm near an overpass that grows mutfruit and corn.Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p. 296: "The Finch family farm this grim scrubland, and their youngest, Jake, has disappeared. Offer to help, complete the quest, and you may add this Mutfruit settlement to your burgeoning empire."
* Graygarden: Completed before the war and staffed solely by modified Mister Handy robots, Graygarden boasts a significant agricultural output unrivaled by much else in the entire Commonwealth.
* Greentop Nursery: A small settlement centered around a greenhouse.
* Oberland station: A small farm growing tato plants by a railroad.
* Somerville Place: A farm on the edge of the Glowing Sea growing corn plants.
* Tenpines Bluff: A small settlement that farms tatos in the northern reaches of the Commonwealth.
* The Slog: Run by ghouls and made from an old swimming pool to cultivate tarberries.
* Vault 81: The Vault contains a hydroponics room run by Priscilla Penske, a biologist working to grow radiation-free food from mutated plants.
* Warwick homestead: Built atop an old waste treatment plan that provided fertile soil to grow crops.Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Collector's Edition p.393: "[6.29] WARWICK HOMESTEADThe fertilizer from this old sewage facility offers great Mutfruit and tato plant growing conditions, if you can get over the stench. Need a Giddyup Buttercup? There’s one here."(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Map)
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==Appalachia==
Many farms exist in the region, dotting the landscape that are situated between mountainous regions. The farms were small, family operations before the Great War. A pre-War shop providing supplies to Appalachian farmers, Lewis & Sons Farming Supply, which has since become a farmstead for Carol Putnam's family, is located in the Forest. Before the war, the Dyer Chemical Plant produced animal feed and other phosphates used for nearby farms.Fallout 76 loading screens Arktos Pharma created Pharmabot-JD7E, a unique robot designed to deploy an experimental chemical to improve crop yields at the Silva homestead.Silva homestead terminal entries; Arktos Pharma terminal, Maintenance Logs, June 2077
Several bunkers in the region contain research on agriculture and sustainability completed by the former occupants. Irrigation systems can be seen installed between the rows of crops across the street from the Halloween horror hamlet.Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p.292: "16. SUNSHINE MEADOWS INDUSTRIAL FARM (WORKSHOP)This midsize factory and unloading dock has a trio of curve-roofed barracks at the back. Learn the choke points (gaps in the fencing and locations of enemy incursions) to ensure you can build and hold this resource-heavy farm. Be aware of the upper offices and storage area leading to the rear roof access atop the factory."(Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Atlas of Appalachia) In Flatwoods, survivors began to develop crops and farming routines once again after the war, following the lead of the Responders and Delbert Winters.Flatwoods terminal entries; Apr 15: Nightmares They planted drops, set up brahmin pastures, provided lessons and knowledge about agriculture to those they could, and commented on the changing creatures and flora they observed in the region.Flatwoods terminal entries; Delbert's DiarySurvivor story: Rev. Delbert Winters
The Vault-Tec Agricultural Research Center is a facility that houses an Agricultural Center Mainframe, established to experiment with automated high-tech farming.Fallout 76 loading screensFallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p.291: "15. VAULT-TEC AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTEROn the southern outskirts of Flatwoods is a cluster of lowrise rusting structures: a curved storage building with two others on the road's north side and the main center with two connected exterior greenhouses. Check under the road bridge for additional items.Reach the Center's interior via the main foyer doors, the roadside doors, a side door, or the roof. Access the basement via the easily overlooked stairwell; here you find the Agricultural Center Mainframe, a computer you must access during the event."(Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Atlas of Appalachia) The fleet of Mr. Farmhands would automatically take care of crops, fertilizing them, planting seeds, and collecting the harvest with barely any need for human oversight. While the Great War put the facility offline, it was reactivated and restored to partial operation by MacFadden in a bid to aid starving survivors.Vault-Tec Agricultural Research Center terminal entries; MacFadden's terminal, 11-11-94 The Enclave also researched agricultural techniques via their research facilities, and several other family farms are found throughout Appalachia.Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p. 422: "47. BECKWITH FARMThe Beckwiths have long since shuffled off this mortal coil, but their farmstead still stands—but only just! There's meager pickings, though the tractor shed has a Weapons Workbench to fiddle with."(Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Atlas of Appalachia)Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p. 354: "03. COBBLETON FARMNestled on a hilltop with little of the toxic debris that litters the majority of the valley, this small farmstead is still highly dangerous, thanks to the influx of foes. Aside from an outhouse and small vegetable garden, the majority of the scavenging (and fighting) takes place inside the main shack-like structure."(Fallout 76 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Atlas of Appalachia)
;Agricultural sites
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==References==
Non-game
Category:Post-War setting