Modern Commercial Agriculture

Fallow

land that is plowed and narrowed but left unsown to restore its fertility

agriculturally driven changes to the environment

go far beyond the simple clearing of land. They range from soil erosion to changes in the organic content of soils to the presence of chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, even antibiotics and growth hormones from live-stock feces) in soils and groundwater. In places where large commercial crop farms dominate, the greatest con- cerns often center on the introduction of chemical fertilizers and pesticides into the environment—as well as soil erosion.

Environmental Impacts of Modern Agriculture

-Erosion -Changes in the organic content of the soil

sustainable agriculture

Agricultural practices that work to preserve and enhance environmental quality.

Sustainable Agriculture

Attempts to integrate plant and animal production practices that will protect the ecosystem over the long term. Promotes the idea that human needs can be met without practicing environmental equality and depleting natural resources. Ex: Avoiding chemicals like fertilizer and pesticides

Example of cash crops

Cotton cultivation was also promoted on a smaller scale in numerous other countries: in Egypt's Nile Delta, in the Punjab region shared by Pakistan and India, and in Sudan, Uganda, Mexico, and Brazil. The colonial pro- ducers received low prices for their cotton, and the European industries prospered as cheap raw materials were converted into large quantities of items for sale at home and abroad. Wealthier countries continue to buy cotton, and cot- ton sales remain important for some former colonies. But they now compete with cotton being grown in the United States, Northeast China, and Central Asia. Moreover, cotton is in competition today with synthetic fibers such as nylon and rayon. As global supply and demand shifts in response to changing markets and new alternatives, econ- omies that have been built around cotton production can go through wrenching adjustments.

Organic Agriculture

Crops are grown without pesticides or fertilizers, ensuring that the consumer will not suffer adverse health effects from them. Ex: organic eggs, milk, etc.

Green Rev: good/bad?

Good: Agricultural production outruns population growth; nitrogen-based fertilizers are commonly used; scientists continue to find food sources. Bad: Poor countries cannot afford the machinery and modernization; many fishing areas are already overfished; many people in the sub-saharan part of Africa are not being fed.

Wheat agriculture

Intensive farming and requires extensive land. Common in USA, 1/4 of the world production of wheat.

Green Revolution

Involved two important practices: the use of new higher-yield seeds and the expanded use of fertilizers. Ex: miracle seeds

Mercantilism

Private companies under charter from the governments carrying out the trade. The main goal was to benefit the mother country by trading goods to accumulate precious metals to enrich the country. Ex: cotton grown in Egypt, Sudan, and India

Agribusiness

Small-size farmers are linking with foreign sources for advice, seeds, fertilizers, and machinery. Ex: branch of commercial farming

Specialization

The growing of specialized crops because they seem to be the most profitable. Ex: chickens, cattle, wheat, potatoes

Colonialism

_____ profoundly shaped nonsubsistence farming in many poorer countries. ____ powers implemented agri-culture systems to benefit their needs, a practice that has tended to lock poorer countries into production of one or two "cash" crops. Cash farming continues to provide badly needed money, even if the conditions of sale to the urban- industrial world are unfavorable. In the Caribbean region, for example, whole national economies depend on sugar exports (sugar having been introduced by the European colonists in the 1600s).

David Lanegran

______ summarized the impact of this transformation as follows: Today, chickens are produced by large agribusiness com- panies operating hatcheries, feed mills, and process- ing plants. They supply chicks and feed to the farm- ers. The farmers are responsible for building a house and maintaining proper temperature and water sup- ply. Once a week the companies fill the feed bins for the farmers, and guarantee them a price for the birds. The companies even collect market-ready birds and take them away for processing and marketing. Most of the nation's poultry supply is handled by a half dozen very large corporations that control the process from chicks to chicken pieces in stores.

Pastoral Nomadism

a specialized form of periodic movement a form of agriculture based around herding domesticated animals -generally nomadic and semi nomadic occur in saharan africa and south west/ central asia -dry un-arable land

rest crops

clover and other ______ ______ were used for cattle grazing and restoration of nitrogen to the soil

general crop rotation

each field thus passed through a cycle of four root crops: root, cereal, rest crop and then another cereal. Cereal grain such as wheat rye or barley are sold for flour and beer production and straw was retained for animal bedding

Mediterranean agriculture (Horticulture- the growing of fruits, vegetables, and flowers forms the base of Med. ag.)

exists mainly in the lands that border the Mediterranean Sea in S. Europe, N. Africa, and W. Asia. It has spread to parts of California, Chile, South Africa, and Australia as well. Most of the food grown in this style of farming is for human consumption and is typically of high value. Also common in southern California Australia, south west Asia, and south America. No dry season normally warm year round.

Dairy farming

is the most important type of commercial ag practiced on farms near the northeast U.S., southeast Canada, and northwest Europe. Dairy farms must be nearer their market areas than other products because their product spoils quickly; milkshed- the ring surrounding a city from which milk can be supplied without spoiling. Improvements in transportation have increased the range of dairy farms, but they are mainly still located near large urban areas. Those dairy farms that are farther from the cities tend to sell their product to processors who make butter, cheese, etc, because these products keep longer than milk. Northwestern USA, Northern & central Europe, & Eastern coast of Australlia

Shifting cultivation

slash and burn agriculture (very un-fertile land) -south america, amazon -subsaharan africa -oceania -short, or no dry season generally rain forests -extensive land use -takes up more land than any other type of agriculture, does not provide a lot of labor or food -generally in equatorial regions ONLY FOR SUBSISTENCE AGRICULTURE

Milkshed

the ring around a city from which milk can be supplied with out spoiling

Intensive subsistence- other crops

- a main crop could be potatoes -takes place around the nile river, Western India (interior india) and north east china and neighboring western countries of india ,upper china russia mongolia -dry winters/ summers, warm/ not summers

Intensive Subsistence- wet rice dominant

- labor intensive -asian farmers grow 90% of the worlds rice -takes place generally on the coast, humid/ warm climates -south eastern asia and oceania - very wet and warm temperatures - cheap labor supplies necessary of growing rice

Future Food Supply

-Expansion of agricultural land -Increase in land productivity -Identification of new food sources -Improved distribution of food

Impact of the GR

-failed to provide famine relief for people in sub-saharan africa -seriously affected many countries in africa -boosted crop productivity

subsistence crop and livestock farming

-southern tip of Mexico, eastern sliver of South America and small parts of Russia, south western Asia -generally wealthier form of substance agriculture - dry winters, generally hot/ warm summers

von thunen model

A model that explains the location of agricultural activities in a commercial, profit-making economy. A process of spatial competition allocates various farming activities into rings around a central market city, with profit-earning capability the determining force in how far a crop locates from the market.

3rd Agriculture Revolution

Began in the 20th century and is still going on today.

Land lost to urbanization

California's Central Valley, South Florida, California's coastal zone, North Carolina's Piedmont, and the Chicago- Milwaukee-Madison triangle in Illinois-Wisconsin.

Industrial Agriculture

Modern farming that refers to the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops. Ex: innovation in agricultural machinery and methods

Environmental changes due to agriculture

The nat- ural vegetation in these areas cannot always sustain the herds, especially during prolonged droughts. As a result, ecological degradation and, in some areas, desertification (see Chapter 10) are the result. By stripping away vegetation, the animals can promote the erosion of river banks, with implications for everything from water quality to wildlife habitat.

agrarian reform program

The plan entailed renting unused land from foreign corporations to landless citizens at a low appraised value. The United Fruit Company, an American firm with extensive holdings in the country, was greatly concerned by this turn of events. The company had close ties to powerful individuals in the American government, including Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, CIA director Allen Dulles (the two were brothers), and Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs John Moors Cabot. In 1954, the United States supported the over- throw of the government of Guatemala because of stated concerns about the spread of communism. This ended all land reform initiatives, however, leading many commenta- tors to question the degree to which the United Fruit Company was behind the coup

Mixed crop and livestock farming

is common in the U.S. west of the Appalachians and in much of Europe from France to Russia. The most distinctive characteristic of this type of ag is the integration of crops and livestock. Most of the crops are fed to animals rather than humans. Typically in a mixed farm, nearly all of the land is used for crop growing, but more than 75% the profits come from the sale of animal products. Crop rotation is actively used in mixed farming. The choice of crop grown on the farm varies widely, but two of the most frequent are corn and soybeans. Takes place in the eastern center of the USA, coastal center of chile, Europe and central parts of Russia. Typically no dry seasons hot summers (in USA) cool summers (in russia Chile and Europe).

Plantation farming

is found in the tropics and subtropics. Plantation- a large farm that specializes in one or tow crops, typically cash crops. These types are farms are isolated in sparsely settled locations and are thus quite self-sufficient. After the outlawing of slavery in the USA. , many of the plantations were sold or subdivided as the ample source of cheap labor was no longer an option. Caribbean islands, eastern coast of subsaharan Africa, oceania, very wet/ warm climates.

Livestock ranching

is the commercial grazing of livestock over an extensive area. In MDC's it is practiced in semiarid lands where the vegetation is too sparse and the soil too poor to support crops. The cattle were taken to market via cattle trails and railways in the 19th century, but more recently by semi-trucks and interstate highways. Cattle ranching is done in other parts of the world where wide open lands are available, and are better suited to supporting cows than crops. Regardless of the region, ranching has followed a similar pattern across the globe. Initially it is the herding of cattle over open ranges, then ranching transforms into fixed farming by dividing the open land into ranches. Some ranches are converted into farms as the countryside develops and irrigation is more available. The remaining farms must experiment with new breeding and feeding processes to enhance the value of their cows. Western half of the USA, South and central south america, South Sub-Saharan Africa and south western/ central Asia, and Australia. Semi arid land, mix of cold and hot land depending on livestock

Commercial Gardening and Fruit Farming

is the main farming found in the U.S. southeast. It is characterized by truck farming- growing many of the fruits and vegetables demanded in more developed societies. These farms are highly efficient and make use of machinery and cheap labor in every facet of the process. Eastern coast of USA Small parts of eastern Europe and Russia, dry cool summers.

Grain farming

is typically done in the Great Plains states of the U.S. The U.S. is by far the world's largest producer of grain. W/in the U.S, grain is grown in three areas, the winter wheat area (the crop is planted in the autumn and develops a strong root system before growth stops for the winter, and is harvested in the early summer) like Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado; the spring wheat belt (the crop is planted in spring and harvested in the late summer) in the Dakotas, Montana; and the third important area is in the Palouse region of Washington state. Wheat is an important crop because it is highly exportable and is a source of economic and political strength for its largest producers, like the U.S. and Canada. Northern USA and Canada, South western Asia, South eastern Europe. Generally no dry season, cool summers, moderate temperatures.

Desertification

overplanting Ex: anywhere can be eventually overplanted

Biotechnology

the use of genetically altered crops in agriculture and DNA manipulation in livestock in order to increase population. Ex: hybrid rice