Agroforestry in the Midwest

Agroforestry is a land use option that has been increasingly accepted as environmentally sound and potentially sustainable. It is a production system that attempts to link agriculture with the longer-term protective, productive, and social functions of trees and other woody and herbaceous vegetation. Economically beneficial perennials like fruit trees, fuel wood, and leguminous vegetation are incorporated in a farm to produce food, fuelwood, fodder, and fiber; to perform functions like soil improvement, erosion control, windbreaks, and as nurse crops to other plants on the farm; to provide shade to animals and serve as living fences; and as a source of cash revenue. It is adaptable to suit individual needs of farmers and the climatic conditions of an area