Agriculture: Revolutions and Responses AP Human Geography Agriculture and Rural Land Use Unit

For today, 04/06 Vocab and Map Exam and Reading Quiz is Wednesday Unit Exam is this Friday You will need to arm yourselves with note- taking apparatus Turn in Meatrix homework to the tray

First Agricultural Revolution About 8,000 years ago Intentional domestication of plants and animals Created surplus of crops like wheat and barley Surplus of food allowed specialization of labor, which created civilization as we know it Subsistence based

Second Agricultural Revolution Around 1650-1900 Coincided with the Industrial Revolution New technologies yield more crops Farming equipment, refrigeration, railroads Larger farms – could do much more with much less Introduction of commercial farming – could transport to in-demand markets Think about its role in the DTM…

Third Agricultural Revolution Also know as the Green Revolution 1940s and 50s - today Higher-yield seeds Expanded use of fertilizers and pesticides GMO/GE crops and animals Created agribusiness Major effects on “hungry areas”

Organic Revolt: Response to the Green Revolution Organic Agriculture: production of crops without the use of synthetic or industrially produced pesticides and fertilizers or the raising of livestock without hormones, antibiotics, and synthetic feeds

Response to the Green Revolution Critics of the Green Revolution argue: 1. Vulnerability to pests 2. Dependency on chemicals for production 3. Soil erosion 4. Malnutrition – vitamin & nutrient deficiencies 5. Water shortages Sikkim, India 2,740 square miles (Harris County = 1,777) India’s least populated state Entire state 100% organic by 2015

Organic vs. Non-Organic Cropland Organic: 1 dot = 250 acres Non-Organic: 1 dot = 25,000 acres

In groups (without using sources), explain the trend you see in the graph above. Socrative, room 262479

Decrease in Dairy Farms Increase in Organic Farms Increased production of milk Increased mechanization Agribusiness and industrialization of agriculture Small farms are less profitable and cannot compete Urbanization Increased demand in market Sustainability – better care for the land influences consumer choice Small farms unable to compete with agribusiness switch to more profitable ventures