5.

1 Intro to Agriculture
Agriculture is Influenced by the Physical Environment
1. All plants have certain requirements:
- Space: plants need suitable room to row or they will have to compete for resources with other
plants - Light: plants need sufficient light to perform photosynthesis
- Water: plants need water to help absorb nutrients
- Nutrients: plants need nutrients for nourishment
2. The types of crops will vary according climatic factors and physical geography

3. Humans can supplement some plants’ needs to make up deficiencies

4. Human Modifications include:
- Space: clearing more land or modifying land so crops have more room
- Light: humans can provide artificial grow lights to aid photosynthesis
- Water: humans can irrigate crops if the water supply is deficient or sporadic
- Nutrients: humans use fertilizers to nourish plants so they grow quickly
- Suitable Temperature: humans grow crops in greenhouses and other buildings to maintain a
constant temperature
5. Modifications are examples of Environmental Possibilism
Some Plants are Constrained by the Environment
1. Specialized crops such as Mediterranean crops and tropical crops can only be grown in certain areas
because of economies of scale
- Climatic conditions needed to grow these crops can be replicated but not at the scale needed to
make a profit - Areas with these types of climates are often used to grow only these specialized crops at the
expense of local food crops
Agriculture can be characterized as intensive or extensive
1. Intensive agricultural systems
- Requires large amount of labor and capital
- Use small plots of land usually located near large populations
- Are characterized by high yield per acre
- Examples: Rice, Milk, Truck Farming
2. Extensive agricultural systems
- Are characterized by low capital and labor inputs
- Use large plots of land that are away from population centers
 - Are characterized by low yield per acre
- Examples: Shifting Cultivation, Livestock Ranching
Agriculture is influenced by economic factors
1. Farmers must decide what and how to farm based on financial considerations
- Expensive land means the farmer cannot afford as much land and must generate sufficient
revenue to make money off of the land
- High costs of labor or the need for a lot of farm workers drives up costs and makes it necessary
to generate higher revenue
Types of Intensive Agriculture
1. Plantation Agriculture
- Labor intensive agricultural system that exploits cheap labor in former colonies
- Coffee, Cacao, Sugar, and other cash crops are raised and sold to devolved areas
2. Mixed Crop and Livestock
- Labor intensive system where farmers grow crops to fatten livestock for slaughter
- Corn and soybeans are farmed and then fed to cattle and pigs in feedlots which are then
slaughtered in labor-intensive meat packing plants
3. Market Gardening
- Farms that specialize in fresh fruits and veggies that are transported to markets
- Products like grapes, lettuce, potatoes and more planted an harvested using migrant labor
Types of Extensive Agriculture
1. Shifting Cultivation
- Farmers in tropics control a large area and clear only part of it at a time to farm
- Rainforest is cleared and burned, and farmers plant many different crops in the field
- Soil loses its fertility after a few years, so farmers start the process over
2. Nomadic Herding
- Nomadic herders graze cattle, sheep, goats, and more in arid and semi-arid climates
- Herders are mobile and move with their animals from pasture to pasture
- Mobility means few workers, possessions, or accumulation of wealth
3. Ranching
- Ranchers own large areas for grazing cattle and sheep to sell on the markets
- Ranch land is unsuitable for farming, so land is less expensive than farmland
5.2 Settlement Patterns and Survey Methods
Rural Settlement Patterns
 Rural Survey Methods
1. Meters and Bounds
of A Mountains
- Short Distances and landmarks East
2. Long Lot
- Relationship to river
3. Township and Range Priver
- Survey methods vs landmarks
- Grid System
5.3 Agricultural Origins and Diffusions
Agricultural developed in different areas around the world
- Several different agricultural hearths around the world
- Different plants and animals were domesticated in each hearth
- Plants and animals spread around the world as a result of different types of diffusion over time
Agriculture first diffused regionally

Agriculture diffused globally along trade routes

1. Trade Routes across the eastern hemisphere diffused plants and animals
- Silk Road brought plants and animals to Central Asia, Middle East, and Europe
- Indian Ocean trade brought plants and animals to South Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Europe
2. Columbian Exchange
- After the Spanish conquered Mesoamerica and South America, they diffused plants and animals
to and from the area
- Maize, squash, potatoes and other crops were taken to Europe and planted
- Coffee, sugar, horses, cattle, and other animals were brought to the Americas
Other forms of diffusion
1. Population migration brought different cuisines to new areas
- People moved to new countries and brought new foods and ingredients
- Immigrants often grew familiar crops from their country of origin
2. The Green Revolution spread high yield varieties of crops across the world
- New varieties of plants replaced traditional crops in places like Mexico and India
- These countries have seen a loss in genetic variety of plants
3. Increasing wealth has raised demand for animal protein
- Demand for beef, pork, and chicken has risen as LDCs get wealthier
- Large Transnational Corporations like McDonalds have brought new foods
5.4 The Second Agricultural Revolution
Origins
- Great Britain in the 18th Century
- Connection to Industrial Revolution
- Role of Location
- Importance of Resources
Agricultural Advancements
- Steel Plow, McCormick Reaper/Harvester, Seed Drill, Grain Elevators
Impacts
- Rapid Increase in Food Production, Changed the Demand Factory Work, Calories Consumed,
Increased Life Expectancy, and Increased the Gap Between Core and Periphery Countries
5.5 The Green Revolution
Created New Methods of Agriculture
1. Diffused modern Agricultural farming methods to developing countries after the mid-20th century
- Created higher yield plants using hybridization and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
- Diffused chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers
- Diffused agricultural machinery and modern agricultural methods
Changed Plants
1. Hybrid plants are bred to have superior characteristics
- IR-36 became the most planted strain of rice in the world
0 Resistant to various types of insects
O Short growing season allows for double cropping
- Many different hybrid have been created to change varieties of food
2. GMOs chance the genes of a plant
- Allow plants to have characteristics they can’t get through hybridization
- Most modern corn, soybeans, and cotton grown in the U.S are GMOs
Introduced Chemicals to Crops
1. Pesticides keep insects from destroying crops
- Chemical sprays on crops kill a variety of insects on food crops
2. Herbicides target weeds and other invasive plants in the field
- Roundup Ready GMO crops control much of U.S. Market
3. Chemical nitrogen and phosphate help plants grow faster
- Chemical fertilizers are more effective than natural fertilizers
Brought New Farming Methods
1. New machinery helped with planting and harvesting crops
- Need for human labor decreased dramatically
2. Irrigation methods changed
- Use of water became more efficient and sustainable
 3. Advances in transportation made it easier to get crops to a global market
- Farmers got new markets to sell their crops
Positive and Negative Effects

5.6 Agricultural Production Regions

Subsistence vs Commercial Agriculture
1. Defining Characteristics
- Purpose
O Commercial: Crops gown for profit
O Subsistence: Crops is to provide food for family/community
- Percentage of Workers Employed as Farmers
- Percentage of Machines Used to Farm
- Farm size
- Relationship to Other Businesses
Workforce Employed in Agriculture

Types of Machines

Farm Size
 Productivity

Intensive and Extensive Farming Practices

1. Intensive farming: Greater amount of money and labor invested compared to the land being farmed
2. Extensive farming: Less money and labor being used compared to the amount of land farmed
3. Key Characteristics: Amount of Land and Labor
4. Subsistence vs Commercial: Economic purpose and Input
Bid Rent

5.7 Spatial Organization of Agriculture

Commercial Farms have Replaced Family Farms
1. Corporate farming has caused a shift in agricultural practices
- Farming in developed countries has shifted from small-scale family farms to large-scale corporate
farms - Corporate farms have created complex commodity chains for the agricultural industry
- Tech has increased the carrying capacity of the land
- Agribusinesses have changed the agricultural labor force
Agribusinesses have changed the agricultural labor force
1. Have the resources to consolidate farms and buy expensive machinery
- The number of farms has decreased while the size of farms has increased
O In 1935 there were about 6.8 million farms averaging 155 acres in size
O Today there are about 2 million farms averaging 444 acres in size
O Many farms are run by people who do not live on the land
- Mechanization has made it easier to farm large plots of land
O The number of farms has consolidated and become part of integrated commodity chains
serving large agribusiness
Agricultural Commodity Chains
1. Agribusinesses often control most steps if the food production process
-
 Tech has increased the carrying capacity of the land
1. Mechanization, chemicals, and transportation advances increase the amount of food brought to
markets
- Complex machines used to plant and harvest can cover more land cheaply
- Intensive use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers have increased crop yield
- Transportation advances can bring crops to market faster, cheaper, and in better condition
Agribusiness has changed the labor force
1. Mechanization and low labor costs have changed the nature of farm labor
- Large farms are increasingly mechanized
O Female participation in agriculture has declined (due to males operating machines more
often)
O Family farms cannot compete against corporate farms
O Migrant labor force used for planting and harvesting
2. Processing plants recruit low-cost laborers
- Locate away form large cities to lower labor costs
- Many agribusiness laborers are immigrants willing to work for low wages
5.9 Von Thünen Model
Von Thünen Model

Market
- Other goods, small not supermarket
Ring Closest to Market (Fresh Produce/Dairy)
- Not long shelf life, perishable, close as possible
2nd Ring from the Market (Forest/Lumber)
- Forests, used for building products, wood is so heavy to maximize labor and money used
3rd Ring from the Market (Mixed Crop/Farming)
- Grains, not as heavy to transport, allows farther away, goods will still be good
Outermost Ring (Livestock)
 - Livestock, expansive, animals can walk to market ie. herding
Unoccupied Wilderness
- too great a distance from the central city for any type of agricultural product because the
product earned does not justify the expenses of transportation
Assumptions
- Land was all equal, Land was flat, Single market, Transportation costs based on distance
Today
- Physical landscape varies, Climate varies, multiple markets exist, changes to transportation, tech
advancements, Role of forests has changed, Purpose of agricultural products have expanded
Factors Include:
- Variations in land and climate
- Advancements in tech and transportation
- Increase in number of markets
5.9 The Global System of Agriculture
Food is a major part of the global trade network
1. Agricultural products are part of a global supply chain
2. Some countries are highly dependent on export commodities
3. Global food distribution networks are affected by political relationships, infrastructure, and world
trade patterns
Agricultural products are part of the global supply chain
1. Globalization has created interdependence between countries
- Larger Countries with developed agricultural areas export food products to smaller less developed
agricultural countries O U.S, Brazil, China, and Argentina are top exporters of food
- Countries with climatic advantages export luxury crops to wealthy countries
O Coffee, sugar, tea, and bananas are major exports for low latitude countries
- Southern Hemisphere countries provide food products to the Northern hemisphere during winter
months
Some countries are dependent on export commodities
1. Emphasis on growing crops for export can create economic and environmental problems in developing
countries - Farmers in developed countries often grow luxury crops at the expense of local food crops
O Food crops must be imported at higher prices
- Farmers in developing countries often use poor farming practices that lead to water pollution, soil
erosion, deforestation, and salinization of the soil
O Monocropping often leads to environmental and sustainability problems
Political relationships and trade networks affect global agriculture
1. The legacy of colonialism and neocolonialism affects global agricultural systems
- Agribusinesses based in developed countries often control land and crop production in developing
countries - Fair trade movements have tried to promote equality for the producers of crops in developing
countries - Relationships between former colonies and their mother countries make trade easier
Infrastructure affects global agriculture
1. Poor infrastructure in developing countries makes it hard to get food crops crops to the market
- Farmers in developing countries often do not have access to roads or other forms of
transportation to move their crops to markets
O Most transportation routes connect farmers to ports for export
O Farmers grow luxury items because they can export them easily
- Farmers in developed countries can ship their food products cheaply across the world
O Crops from developed countries are often more plentiful and cheaper to buy than local
crops in developing countries
5.10 Consequences of Agricultural Practices
Environment
1. Agricultural advancements have created some environmental damage
- Increase in Livestock = Animal Waste
I
- Increase Use of Chemicals = Pollutions
- Expansion of Agricultural Land
O Imapct on Soil, Water, and Overgrazing

Africa’s Deserts

Desertification
 Desertification: Africa

Soil Salinization

Landscape
1. Reasons
- Topography, Climate, Culture, Resources
2. Impact
- Deforestation, Shifting Agriculture, Terraces, Irrigation Systems, Draining Wetlands
Terraced Farming
- Vietnam and Thailand for Rice

5.11 Challenges of Contemporary Agriculture

Advances in Agriculture Spark Debates about Damage to the Environment
1. Advances in biotech, GMOs, and Aquaculture have caused
- Concerns about water and soil usage
- Discussions about the reduction in biodiversity of plants and animals
- Apprehension about the use of fertilizers and pesticides
- Debates over the sustainability of these modern agricultural practices
2. Many people worry whether the agricultural advances of the last century have caused irreparable
damage to the ecosystem
Modern Agricultural Practices Put Pressure on Water and Soil
1. Irrigation of Fields Causes Problems in Semi-Arid and Arid Lands
- Deep wells drilled for irrigation are depleting aquifers
 - Irrigation projects and reservoirs have depleted rivers and streams
- Evaporation of irrigation causes salt accumulation in the soil
2. Poor Agricultural Practices Damage Soils
- Monocropping leads to the loss of soil fertility
- Deforestation and overgrazing cause soil erosion
- Use of heavy machinery can lead to compaction of soils
Reduction in Biodiversity of Plants and Animals
1. Number of Plant Varieties has Decreased by Nearly 90%
- Hybrid and GMO seed use is widespread among farmers
- Cloned plants like bananas or other fruit trees are susceptible to disease
- Consumption patterns have consolidated the number of plants eaten
2. Number of Domestic Farm Animal Types has Decreased by Nearly 50%
- Industrial food production needs animals that are the same size and weight
- Diet preferences have reduced the types of animals eaten
- Growth of aquaculture has led to the production of just a few species of fish
Agricultural Chemicals Hurt the Environment
1. Chemical Fertilizers Pollute Water and Soils
- Nitrogen runoff causes algae blooms in lakes and oceans
- Nitrous oxide is released into the air causing human health problems
- Fertilizers cause acidification and mineral depletion of soils
2. Pesticides Have Detrimental Effects on the Environment
- Pesticide runoff pollutes human drinking water sources
- Sprayed pesticides drifts and negatively affects wildlife and beneficial insects
- Pesticides create toxic soil conditions and kill beneficial microorganisms
Governments, NGOs, Agribusinesses, and Farmers Work to Create Sustainable Agriculture
1. Demand from Consumers has led Agribusinesses to use more sustainable practices
2. Governments pass laws to protect the environment from air and water pollution
3. International agencies and environmental organizations wage campaigns to end destructive agricultual
practices
Urban Households Raise Crops and Small Animals
1. Urban Households in Developing Countries Help Alleviate Food Insecurity
- Urban farms are creating more sustainable cities
- Urban farms can absorb labor in cities
- Urban farms can be the source of health problems from dirty water
2. Urban Households in Developed Countries Supplement Food Purchases
- Urban farming is largely a leisure activity
- Urban gardens in food insecure areas bring fresh food to poor residents
- Zoning laws have changed to allows small animals, like chickens, in cities
 CSA Forms Local Bonds Between Farmers and Consumers
1. Farmers sell “shares” of their crops and product to local consumers who contract to buy the products
throughout the year
- Reduces the food miles of the crops. Fewer fossil fuels burned in production and transportation
- CSA producers use organic and human methods to raise plants and animals
- CSA producers make larger profits
Organic Farming Movements Create Healthier Lifestyles
1. Organic farms grow crops without chemicals
- Less exposure to chemicals that can cause health problem s
2. Organic Farms are healthier for the environment
- Less air, soil, and water pollution
3. Organic animals are raised without growth hormones or antibiotics
- Meats are safer for consumers
Fair Trade Movements Benefit Farmers in Developing Countries
1. Bypasses traditional multinational corporations and contracts directly with farmers
- Producers in developing countries get better prices for their goods and keep more profit
- Fair trade producers typically treat worker better and pay them more money
- Fair trade producers use more sustainable practices to produce their goods
Shifts in Diest Influence Food Production and Consumption
1. Consumers in Developed Countries are Trying to Eat Healthier Diets
- Demand for red meat us down; demand for chicken and turkey is up
- Milk consumption is down; cheese consumption is up
- Potato consumption is down; rice consumption is up
5.12 Women in Agriculture
Food Production
- Cultural, Impact of Mechanization, Impact of Urbanization
Food Consumption
- Cultural and Environmental