Unit 5 Vocab #2

Bid-rent theory

distance decay relationship between proximity to the urban market and the value of the land, meaning the closer the land is to an urban center, the more valuable it is

Labor intensive

relies on low-paid migrant workers to tend and harvest crop, hard work

factory farming

capital-intensive livestock operation in which many animals are kept in close quarters and bred and fed in a controlled environment

aquaculture (aquafarming)

a type of intensive farming. Fish, shellfish, or water plants are raised in netted areas in the sea, tanks, or other bodies of water

double cropping

planting or harvesting a crop two or three times per year on the same piece of land

intercropping (multicropping)

when farmers grow two or more crops simultaneously on the same field

monoculture

only one crop or type of animal is raised per season on a piece of land.

monocropping

only growing one type of crop or raising one type of animal year after year.

feedlots

confined spaces in which cattle and hogs have limited movement

agribusiness

farms run as corporations

vertical integration

the ownership of other businesses involved in the steps of producing a particular good

economies of scale

an increase in efficiency to lower the per-unit production cost, resulting in greater profits

carrying capacity

the number of people that U.S. farmers can support given the available resources

cool chains

transportation networks that keep food cool throughout the trip

location theory

deals with why people choose certain locations for various types of economic activity

Von Thunen theory

an economic model that suggested a pattern for the types of products that farmers would produce at different positions relative to where they sold their goods

horticulture

type of agriculture that includes market gardening/truck farming and dairy farming

bid-price curve (bid rent curve)

a graph used to determine the starting position for each land use relative to the market, as well as where each land use would end.

free-market economy

where supply and demand, not government policy, determines the outcome of competition for land

comparative advantage

naturally occurring beneficial conditions

supply chain

all the steps required to get a product or service to customers

luxury crops

not essential to human survival but have a high profit margin

neocolonialism

the use of economic, political, and social pressures to control former colonies

fairtrade movement

an effort to promote higher incomes for producers and more sustainable farming practices

infrastructure

includes the roads, bridges, tunnels, ports, sewers, electrical grids, telecommunications, etc. of a country

desertification

alteration of the vegetation in arid areas causes fertile land to become infertile

terrace farming

farmers build a series of steps into the side of a hill

irrigation

the process of applying controlled amounts of water to crops using dams, canals, pipes, sprinkler systems, or other manufactured devices rather than relying on just rainfall.

deforestation

the removal of large tracts of forest

blue revolution

aquaculture and aquafarming have become more common and prominent practices of farming

value-added farming

occurs when farmers process their crops into high-value products, rather than simply selling it as it comes from the field

food insecurity

when households lack access to adequate food because of limited money or other resources

food desert

a neighborhood where residents have little to no access to healthy and affordable food

gender inequality

the unequal rights treatment, or opportunities of a person based on their gender

gender-specific ostacles

discriminatory practices that prevent femals farmers from reaching their potential productivity