What is commercial agriculture and what are the different types of commercial farms found in developed countries?

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Answer 1

Answer: Commercial agriculture is generally practiced in developed countries and is undertaken primarily to generate products for sale off the farm to food-processing companies. Some of the main characteristics of commercial farms are large farm size and the use of heavy machinery. There are six main types of commercial farms found developed countries, primarily influenced by the physical geography of the area where the farms are found. These are mixed crop and livestock farms, dairy farms, grain farms, ranching, commercial gardening and fruit farms, and Mediterranean farming.

Mixed crop and livestock: The most distinctive characteristic of mixed crop and livestock farming is its integration of crops and livestock. Corn is the most commonly grown crop, followed by soybeans. Most of the crops are fed to animals rather than consumed directly by humans. A typical mixed commercial farm devotes nearly all land area to growing crops but derives most of its income from the sale of animal products, such as beef, milk, and eggs.

Dairy farming: Dairy farming is the most important agriculture practiced near large urban areas in developed countries. Milk perishes quickly so dairy farms need to be situated closer to their markets than other farms. The ring surrounding a city from which milk can be supplied without spoiling is known as the milkshed.

Grain farming: Commercial grain farms are generally located in regions that are too dry for mixed crop and livestock farming, such as the Great Plains of North America. Unlike mixed crop and livestock farming, crops on a grain farm are grown primarily for consumption by humans rather than by livestock. The most important crop grown is wheat, used to make flour. It can be stored relatively easily without spoiling and can be transported a long distance. Because wheat has a relatively high value per unit weight, it can be shipped profitably from remote farms to markets.

Livestock ranching: Ranching is the commercial grazing of livestock over an extensive area. Where the land is too dry to support crops, livestock ranching becomes a viable alternative. Contemporary ranching has become part of the meat-processing industry, rather than carried out on isolated farms.

Commercial gardening and fruit farming: Commercial gardening and fruit farming are the predominant types of agriculture in the U.S. Southeast. The region has a long growing season and humid climate and is accessible to the large markets in the big cities along the East Coast.

Mediterranean agriculture: Mediterranean agriculture exists primarily on lands that border the Mediterranean Sea and other places that share a similar physical geography. Winters are moist and mild, summers hot and dry. The land is very hilly, and mountains frequently plunge directly to the sea, leaving very little flat land. The two most important crops are olives and grapes.