Agriculture: Key Issue 4
Rubenstein, pp. 329-339
Why Do Farmers Face Economic Difficulties? Chp. 10 Agriculture
Intro points: Commercial (MDCs) and Subsistence farmers (LDCs) faced comparable challenges
 Both have difficulty generating enough income to continue farming
 Commercial farmers can produce a surplus of good
 Subsistence farmers are barely able to produce enough food to survive
● CHALLENGES FOR COMMERCIAL FARMERS p. 329
What does it mean, “Commercial farmers are in some ways victims of their own success:
a.
b.
Importance of Access of Markets : the distance from the farm to the market influences the farmer’s
choice of crop to plant.
Von Thunen’s Model of Agriculture – 1826 – German estate owner The Isolated State
1. According to the model, a commercial farmer_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. The farmer compares two costs: ________________________________________________________
3. Von Thunen found that specific crops were ______________________________________________
4. 1st ring out from the city:______________________________________________________________
These products are___________________________________________________________________
5. 2nd ring out from the city:_____________________________________________________________
The closeness of this commodity is because of its _________________________________________.
6. 3rd ring: ____________________________________________________________________________
The specific commodity was __________________________________________________________
7. 4th ring or outermost ring: _____________________________________________________________
This requires______________________________________________________________________
Failures of Von Thunen’s Model
a.
b.
Von Thunen’s Model is applicable on a national or global scale because ___________________________
Overproduction in Commercial Farming p. 330
8. Commercial farmers suffer from:
a.
b.
9. Identify and describe/explain the three practices of the US Government aimed at helping to solve
overproduction in Commercial Farming.
US government practice
Explanation/description
1. Farmers are encouraged to
avoid producing crops that are in
excess supply.
2. Government pays farmers when
certain commodity prices are
low.
3.
10. Make a brief note about farm subsidies in
a) the US:
b) Europe:
Sustainable Agriculture (p. 331) definition (organic):
11. What are the three principal practices that distinguish farmers practicing sustainable agriculture
from conventional agriculture
i.
ii.
iii.
12. List three advantages of ridge tillage.
a)
c)
b)
13. What are “Roundup-Ready” seeds? p. 332
Integrated Crop and Livestock p. 333
14. In what ways are animals treated differently in sustainable agriculture?
a. Number of livestock explain:
b. Animal confinement
explain:
c. Management of extreme weather conditions
d. Flexible feeding and marketing
explain:
explain:
● ISSUES FOR SUBSISTENCE FARMERS – p. 333 Boserup Theory
15. Summarize the “Boserup Theory” which describes changing agricultural land use.
a. Population growth influences the distribution of types of subsistence farming
b. Population growth compels subsistence farmers to consider new farming approaches that produce
enough food to take care of the additional people
c. Subsistence farmers increase the supply of food through intensification of production achieved in
two ways:
1. Adoption of new farming methods (explain):
2. Land is left fallow for shorter periods. P. 334





** As the # of people living in an area increases (that is, the population density increases) and more food
must be grown, fields will be left fallow for shorter periods of time. Eventually farmers achieve the very
intensive use of farm land characteristic of areas of high population density.
Subsistence Farming and International Trade p. 334 List Important Facts
*
*
*
*
*
Drug Crops p. 334
16. Some LDCs turn to the production of drug crops for export. The geography of these crops is
distinctive. Identify the countries associated with the crops below.
Coca leaf
Marijuana
Opium/Heroin
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
● STRATEGIES TO INCREASE FOOD SUPPLY p. 335
17. Four strategies have been proposed to increase the world’s food supply in places where populations
are underfed.
 Expand _____________ _______________ used for agriculture.

Increase the __________________________ of land now used for agriculture.

Identify new ___________________ sources.

Increase __________________ from other countries.
18. There is little new land actually available for farming. In fact, the current trend is to reduce
agricultural land rather than increase it. Identify and briefly discuss THREE reasons why land is currently
being removed from agricultural use or made impossible to use for agricultural production.
a) Farmland is abandoned for lack of water
desertification definition:
b) Excessive __________________________________________________________________
c) U__________________________________________________________________________
Increasing Productivity
p. 335 Green Revolution definition:_________________________________
19. List the TWO main practices of the Green Revolution.
i.
ii.
20. Describe the characteristics of two hybrid seeds of the Green Revolution.
Miracle wheat seed
Miracle rice seed
21. What specific problems do farmers in LDCs have which might prevent them from taking full
advantage of the Green Revolution?
22 . Briefly describe two or three ideas/issues associated with each of the strategies for increasing the
world’s food supply by identifying new food sources.
STRATEGY
a. cultivate
PROBLEM
the
oceans
b. develop
higher
protein cereal
grains
c. improved
palatability of
rarely consumed
foods
23. What are the THREE top export grains in the world?
24. Use the map on page 338 and list NINE of the largest grain exporting countries.
i.
iv.
vii.
ii
v.
viii.
iii.
vi.
ix.