Where Are Agricultural Regions in More Developed Countries? Chapter 10 Key Issue 3 Where Are Agricultural Regions in More Developed Countries?

Mixed Crop and Livestock Farming Mixed crop and livestock farming is practiced in much of the United States and northern Europe. Most of the crops are fed to animals. Corn is generally the crop of choice because of its high yields per area, followed by soybeans.

Dairy Farming Dairy farming is an important type of commercial agriculture near urban areas in North America and Europe, where it accounts for about 20% of the total value of agricultural output. Australia and New Zealand also have major dairy production regions. The ring surrounding a city from which milk can be supplied without spoiling is called the milkshed. Increasingly in the developed world, thanks to modern transportation systems, dairy production can take place further from the market.

Grain Farming Commercial grain farming, which includes wheat and corn, takes place in western North America and southern Russia. In North America there is a winter wheat belt in Kansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma, where the crop is planted in the autumn. In the spring wheat belt, which includes the Dakotas, Montana, and southern Saskatchewan, the crop is planted in the spring. A third important grain growing region is in the state of Washington. Large-scale wheat production was first made possible by the McCormick reaper in the 1830s. Today the combine performs the three tasks of reaping, threshing, and cleaning in one operation.

Livestock Ranching Livestock ranching is the extensive commercial grazing of livestock land in semiarid or arid lands. It is practiced in much of the western United States and the pampas regions of Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay. Historically ranching involved the herding of cattle over open ranges in a semi-nomadic style, and later became sedentary farming by dividing open land into ranches. Today it has become part of the meat-processing industry rather than an economic activity practiced on isolated farms.

Mediterranean Agriculture Mediterranean agriculture, practiced in the Mediterranean, California, and parts of Chile, Australia, and South Africa, consists of diverse crops such as grapes, olives, nuts, fruits, and vegetables, mostly for human consumption. Horticulture is the term for the growing of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Commercial Gardening and Fruit Farming Commercial gardening and fruit farming is the dominant form of agriculture in the southeastern United States. It is practiced close to urban areas and is also called truck farming because “truck” was the Middle English word for barter or the exchange of commodities. Truck farms grow fruits and vegetables. The von Thunen model helps to explain the importance of proximity to market and the choice of crops in commercial agriculture. According to von Thunen, rent, or land value, will decrease the further one gets from market.