Agribusiness
the large-scale system that includes the production, processing, and dstribution of agricultural products and equipment
Agriculture
the purposeful cultivation of plants or raising of animals to produce goods for survival
Bid-Rent Theory
a theory that states land cost more the closer you get to an urban area. However the farther away you are from the market, the cheaper the land is
Biotechnology
the science of altering living organisms, often through genetic manipulation, to create new products for specific purposes, such as crops that resist certain pests
Cash Crop
crops grown to sell for profit
Clustered
a settlement that has very little space between the different buildings
Commercial Agriculture
a agricultural production that occurs with the intent to sell the product for profit
Commodity Chain
all of the different activities and processes that go into producing a product
Crop rotation
the varying of crops from year to year to allow for the restoration of valuable nutrients and the continuing productivity of the soil
Dairy Farming
A farming system that specializes in the breeding, rearing, and utilization of livestock (primarily cows) to produce milk and it various by-products, such as yogurt, butter, andcheese
Dispersed
a settlement that is NOT clustered together and has space between the different buildings
Double Cropping
planting another crop on the same plot of land as soon as the first crop has been harvested
Economies of Scale
cost reductions that occur when production rises
Enclosure Movement
a movement in England which took agricultural land that was publicly owned by the community and privatized it
Extensive Farming
practices that uses LESS labor and capital, but require MORE land for the production of food
Feedlot
a fenced enclosure used for intensive livestock feeding that serves to limit livestock movement and associated weight loss
Fertile Crescent
a heart in heart in the Middle East where some of the world's earliest civilizations began
NOTE: 1st agricultural revolution
Neolithic Agricultural Revolution
the shift from foraging for food to farming about 11,000 years ago, marking the beginning of agriculture
Food Deserts
areas that donāt have access to healthy food and lack access to a traditional grocery store
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
An organism whose genetics has been changed to promote specific traits that allow for increased production of livestock or farming
Global Supply Chain
a network of people, information, processes, and resources that work together to produce, handle, and distribute goods around the world
Green Revolution
a movement beginning in the 1950s and 1960s in which scientists used knowlege of genetics to develop new high-yield strains of grain crops
Herbicide
pesticide designed to kill or inhibit the growth of unwanted plants (weeds) that compete with crops
Horticulture
the growth of fruits, flowes, and veggies
Industrial Agriculture
shift of the farm as the center of production to a position just one step in a multiphase industrial process that begins on the farms and ends on the consumers table
Infrastructure
the many systems and facilities that a country needs in order to function properly
Intensive Agriculture
practices that are done in LESS land, but require MORE capital and labor, and are traditionally located closer to large population centers
Intercropping
the farming practice of planting multiple crops together in the same clearing
Interdependence
when 2 things, people, organizations, or countries are dependent on one another
Irrigation
the movement of water from one place to another to help grow vegetation, or meet agricultural or landscaping needs
Linear
an arrangement of objects, buildings, or practices in a line
Market Gardening
a type of farming that produces fruits, vegetables, and flowers and typically serves a specific market or urban area
Metes and Bounds
a boundary that is based on landmarks in a geographic area to create the boundary
Mixed Crop/Livestock Systems
a type of farming in which both crops and livestock are raised for profit
Monocropping
the practice of cultivating one single crop year after year
Monoculture
the practice of cultivating one single crop at a period of time (seasonally)
Organic Farming
The production of crops and livestock using ecological processes, natural biodiversity, and renewable resources rather than industrial practices and synthetic inputs
Patriarchal Society
society in which men are the dominant gender
Pesticide
A substance used for destroying insects or other organisms that are harmful to cultivated plants or animals
Plantation Agriculture
a type of large-scale commercial farming of one particular type of crop grown for markets often distant from the plantation
Ranching
type of commercial farming in which the livestock (usually cattle) is allowed to roam over an established area
Reservoir
an artifical lake used to store water
Rural
area located outside of towns and cities; all the space, population, and housing not included in an urban area
Second Agricultural Revolution
a change in farming practices, marked by new tools and techniques, that diffused from Britain and the Low Countries starting in early 18th century
Shifting Cultivation
the agricultural practice of growing crops or grazing animals on a piece of land for a year or two, then abandoning that land when the nutrients have been depleted from the soil and moving to a new piece of land where the process is repeated
Slash and burn
a method of agriculture in which existing vegetation is cut down and burned off before new seeds are sown; often used when clearing land
Soil Salinization
the process by which water-soluble salts build up in the soil, which limits the ability of crops to absorb water
Subsistence Agriculture
Agricultural production that occurs with the intent to provide for the farmerās family or local community
Sustainability
the use of Earth's land and natural resources in ways that ensure they will continue to be available in the future
Tariffs
a tax or duty to be paid on a particular import or export
Third Agricultural Revolution
a shift to further mechanization in agriculture through the development of new technology and advances that began in the early 20th century and continues to the present day
Township and Range
divides most of the country's territory into a grid of square-shaped townships
Transhumance
the movement of herds between pastures at cooler, higher elevations during the summer months and lower elevations during the winter
Urban Farming
The practice of growing fruits and vegetables on small private plots or shared community gardens within the confines of a city
Vertical Integration
the combining of a company's ownership of and control over more than one stage of the production process of goods
Yield
The amount of agricultural production harvested per unit of land
Long Lot
a narrow piece of land that traditionally connects to the waterway
Silk Road
a network of trade routes that connected China and the Mediterranean from 120 BC to 1450 AD
Fertilizer
A chemical or natural substance that when applied to the soil or land it increases the fertility of the soil
Von Thunenās Model
Information about this model is provided here:
globalization
a term used to describe how the world today is becoming increasingly connected
government subsidies
a financial incentive or payment that is given by the govāt to support a specific industry, company, or individual
Pastoral Nomads
a type of agriculture where herders migrate with their livestock