Factors Affecting Food-Production Practices (College Board AP® Human Geography)

Proximity to markets affects food-production practices

Facilities near urban centers reduce transportation costs and ensure freshness

• Geographical areas near urban centers and markets tend to be used to produce more perishable crops that must be brought to market quickly, such as:

  • fruits

  • flowers

  • dairy

Truck farming and market gardening are examples of agricultural production practices near to markets

• This coincides with von Thünen’s model of agricultural production

Economies of scale refers to the cost savings associated with producing goods in bulk

• The more of a product that is produced, the lower the cost per unit of that product

  • This is because many inputs, such as labor and transportation, have a fixed cost

• For this reason, large commercial agribusinesses can produce agricultural products cheaper than more traditional methods

• Large commercial businesses can produce goods more cheaply than small farms because of economies of scale

Modern transportation and technological advances have had significant impacts on economies of scale

• Crops can be moved quickly with modern transportation methods, increasing production and consumption

• Agricultural machinery increases production amounts and decreases the need for human labor, reducing costs

Global supply chains allow food to be transported quickly and efficiently across the world

• This increases access to multiple food types and leads to more varied food options

• Reliance on long supply chains may disrupt shipping and consumption due to delays caused by weather, conflict, or pandemics

• Technological innovations in transport and cold storage allow for increased movement of goods across long distances and benefit more distant producers

Government policies, both international and domestic, support and regulate agricultural production and trade

Governments may use subsidies to provide financial support for farmers

• Subsidies target specific agricultural products and help to reduce costs for farmers and stabilize prices for consumers

• Subsidies may backfire if they result in overreliance on one or a few crops, leading to monoculture and overproduction

Trade agreements between countries and tariffs on imported agricultural goods affect:

• the movement of products

• their sale and consumption

• their price

Governments may also enact laws targeting the environmental and labor practices of farmers to promote sustainability

• These laws may result in increased production costs and prices

Governments may have laws ensuring food safety standards, which:

• impact production

• Impact distribution processes