AP Human Geography by Carol Ann Gillespie

Author:Carol Ann Gillespie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
Published: 2012-04-13T04:00:00+00:00

Figure 10.3 Corn production by US county, 2009.

Grain farming is a specialized agricultural activity where farmers grow one crop (monoculture) corn, wheat, or rice for commercial markets. The map in Fig. 10.3 shows the corn production by US county in 2009. The United States produces over 70 percent of the corn and a large percentage of the wheat for world markets. The use of machinery, fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified seeds (a type of genetically modified organism, or GMO, discussed later in the chapter) has made this a highly efficient and very productive means of growing cereal crops for market. These agribusinesses have largely taken the place of the traditional small family-owned farms of the past.

Dairy feedlots near large cities operate like factories in their efficiency. The high levels of mechanization and automation allow these dairies to not only serve the nearby urban markets but also compete effectively in the globalized market for dairy products.

Plantation agriculture (also called monocropping) on a large estate is a specialized form of agriculture that is usually located in former colonial areas. Plantations are most often found in tropical regions of the world where ample rainfall and fertile soils allow the crop to be produced in abundance. Climate is the most important requirement for producing a plantation crop (rice, cane sugar, rubber, cacao, tea, coffee) and most plantations are located near the coasts for easy shipping access. Plantations generally use an alien labor force of immigrants from various other LDCs but require foreign investment and management to function efficiently. Mediterranean agriculture is another form of specialized agriculture that is known for producing grapes, olives, citrus, and figs—crops requiring a warm year-round climate with plenty of summer sunshine.

Ranching (cattle and sheep grazing) is prevalent in South America on the pampas (grasslands) of Argentina, Australia and New Zealand (sheep), and South Africa (sheep) but is only found in Spain and Portugal in Europe. Since it is more profitable to raise crops than livestock, ranching is declining in areas that have adequate rainfall.

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