AP Hug Vocab Unit 5

Commercial Agriculture

The production of crops and livestock primarily for sale rather than for direct consumption by the farmer. Example: Large-scale wheat farms in Kansas that export grain internationally.

Subsistence Agriculture

A type of farming where crops and livestock are produced mainly for the farmer's consumption rather than for sale. Example: A small family farm in rural India growing rice for household use.

Extensive Agriculture

A type of farming that uses large areas of land with minimal labor input per acre. Example: Sheep ranching in Australia

Intensive Agriculture

A farming method that uses a lot of labor and capital on a small area of land to maximize productivity. Example: Rice paddies in Southeast Asia

Monocropping

The agricultural practice of growing a single crop species year after year on the same land. Example: Iowa cornfields where corn is grown continuously without crop rotation.

Pastoral Nomadism

A subsistence agriculture practice in which people herd domesticated animals in arid and semi-arid regions. Example: The Bedouins of North Africa

Market Gardening

Small-scale farming of fruits

Plantation Agriculture

Large-scale

Crop Rotation

The practice of alternating crops grown in a field to maintain soil fertility and reduce pests. Example: Rotating corn and soybeans in Midwestern farms to replenish soil nutrients.

Mixed Crop & Livestock

An agricultural system where crops and livestock are raised together

Shifting Cultivation (Slash-and-Burn)

A farming technique where land is cleared by fire

Desertification

The process by which fertile land becomes desert due to drought

Salinization

The accumulation of salts in soil due to excessive irrigation

GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)

Plants or animals that have been genetically altered to enhance traits such as pest resistance or higher yields. Example: Bt corn

Von Thunen Model

A model that explains agricultural land use based on transportation costs and proximity to markets. Example: Dairy farms located near urban areas due to perishability

Bid-Rent-Theory

A theory stating that land prices increase closer to urban areas due to competition for space. Example: High land prices for vegetable farming near New York City

Food Security

The availability and access to sufficient

Food Deserts

Urban or rural areas where residents have limited access to affordable and nutritious food. Example: Inner-city neighborhoods with convenience stores but no grocery stores with fresh produce.

Green Revolution

A period of agricultural advancements in the mid-20th century

Deforestation

The clearing of forests for agricultural expansion

Terracing

The creation of step-like fields on slopes to reduce soil erosion and manage water use. Example: Rice terraces in the Philippines that allow farming on steep hillsides.

Tariff

A tax imposed on imported goods to protect domestic industries. Example: The U.S. imposing tariffs on imported products from China

Cash-Crop

A crop grown primarily for sale rather than for personal consumption. Example: Coffee grown in Colombia for export to international markets.

Economy of Scale

The cost advantages gained by producing large quantities of a product. Example: Large corporate farms reducing costs by using advanced machinery and bulk purchasing fertilizers.

Agribusiness

Large-scale farming operations that integrate various aspects of food production

Dual Agricultural Economy

The coexistence of both traditional subsistence farming and modern commercial farming within a country. Example: In Brazil

Vertical Integration

When a company owns multiple stages of the production and distribution process. Example: A poultry company owning farms

Commodity Chain (Global Supply Chain

The process of gathering resources

Transhumance

The seasonal migration of livestock between different grazing areas. Example: Swiss farmers moving cattle to higher pastures in summer and lower valleys in winter.

Fair Trade

A movement ensuring that producers in developing countries receive fair wages and work in safe conditions. Example: Fair-trade-certified coffee sold at higher prices to support small farmers in Ethiopia.