AP Human Geography : Agriculture, Food Production, & Rural Land Use

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Human Geography

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : Agribusiness

Which of the following is the best example of primary economic activity?

Possible Answers:

A logger in the Pacific Northwest who risks his or her life falling trees for $25,000 a year before taxes

A freelance marketer who connects logging companies with manufacturers interested in purchasing raw timber to produce lumber and a wide range of paper products

A lumber mill in Port Angeles, WA that manufactures lumber, wood chips and various timber products from locally fallen trees

A land grant research college in Georgia that has developed an experimental tree farm in an attempt to study sustainable timber harvesting

A stockbroker who is currently investing in lumber products in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Asia

Correct answer:

A logger in the Pacific Northwest who risks his or her life falling trees for $25,000 a year before taxes

Explanation:

Primary economic activity is defined as the act of directly harvesting natural resources. Logging tree stands for a living would be the best example of all provided choices.

Example Question #6 : Agribusiness

Which of these is not an example of a luxury crop?

Possible Answers:

Coffee

Tea

Tobacco

Cotton

These are all examples of luxury crops

Correct answer:

These are all examples of luxury crops

Explanation:

A “luxury crop” is a crop that is grown to serve some purpose other than sustaining human life. All of these crops are consumed for reasons other than nutrition and so are called “luxury crops.”

Example Question #7 : Agribusiness

The cultivation of drugs for sale is referred to as __________.

Possible Answers:

horticulture

narco-agriculture

black market agriculture

aquaculture

poppy farming

Correct answer:

narco-agriculture

Explanation:

The cultivation of drugs, like marijuana and opiates, for the purpose of sale on the black market is referred to as “narco-agriculture.” "Aquaculture" refers to the farming and cultivation of fish, crustaceans, and other sea life in controlled, designated environments. "Black market agriculture" refers to the sale of conventional agricultural products (like corn or wheat) for sale in non-sanctioned marketplaces, usually to avoid price-controls, taxes, or tariffs. Although the farming of poppies has been associated with the production of opiate drugs, this is too specific a term to be correct in this instance (the growing of marijuana or coca plants also fall under the umbrella of "narco-agriculture"). "Horticulture" simply refers to the intentional cultivation of plants.

Example Question #3 : Agribusiness

Each year more and more agricultural land is owned by __________.

Possible Answers:

multinational agribusiness

nationalized agribusiness

individual families

military organizations

small-scale farming collectives

Correct answer:

multinational agribusiness

Explanation:

Each year a larger and larger share of the world’s agricultural land is owned by multinational agribusiness. These multinational corporations buy up agricultural land in the developing world at a rapid rate and control almost every step in the process of producing, shipping, and selling agricultural products.

Example Question #6 : Agribusiness

In the past century the average size of farms in the United States has __________.

Possible Answers:

remained roughly the same

increased slightly

decreased significantly

increased dramatically

decreased slightly

Correct answer:

increased dramatically

Explanation:

In the past century the average size of farms in the United States has increased dramatically. This general trend can be applied globally and to most of human history as well. This is because it is more profitable and efficient to farm on larger scales than it is to farm on smaller scales. The general trend is that more and more agricultural land is being consolidated into fewer and fewer hands and larger tracts of property.

Example Question #7 : Agribusiness

The growth of agribusiness has led to a decline in __________.

Possible Answers:

Agricultural production

government interference

small-land holdings

agricultural efficiency

All of these

Correct answer:

small-land holdings

Explanation:

The growth of agribusiness, particularly multinational corporations, in the previous half-century has led to a marked decline around the world in small-land holdings and family-run farms. Agricultural production and efficiency have both increased and government interference is fairly consistent.

Example Question #11 : Agribusiness

Who is responsible for coining the term "agribusiness"?

Possible Answers:

Tarkington and Gallen

John Carnegie 

Peter Goldsmith

Goldberg and Davis

Correct answer:

Goldberg and Davis

Explanation:

John Davis and Ray Goldberg wrote the book A Concept of Agribusiness in 1957 through the Harvard Business School. In 1952, Harvard Business school launched their own program studying the connection between agriculture and business. The research conducted by Davis and Goldberg is the first product of research from this school of study. 

Example Question #882 : Ap Human Geography

What is the best term for the range of activities that deal with modern food production?

Possible Answers:

Agrinomics

Globalized farming

Farming economics 

Agribusiness

Correct answer:

Agribusiness

Explanation:

The term agribusiness was created to refer to the many processes that surround the economics of farming. The processes include the actual farming of the crop, to later sales, marketing and distribution. 

Example Question #883 : Ap Human Geography

What is an example of an agribusiness? 

Possible Answers:

A pharmaceutical company that produces antibiotics

A company made of groups of cranberry and grapefruit growers that produces juices.

A company that manufactures steel and other building supplies

A car insurance company

Correct answer:

A company made of groups of cranberry and grapefruit growers that produces juices.

Explanation:

The only option that involves agriculture is the company that produces the fruit juices.

Example Question #881 : Ap Human Geography

Which of the following is true?

Possible Answers:

Agribusiness cannot be studied through academics.

Agribusiness can be studied through academics. This type of program is referred to as agribusiness management. 

Agribusiness can be studied through academics. This type of program is referred to as farming economics. 

Agribusiness can be studied through academics. This type of program is referred to as agricultural engineering. 

Correct answer:

Agribusiness can be studied through academics. This type of program is referred to as agribusiness management. 

Explanation:

The study of agribusiness is referred to as agribusiness management. This name comes from the combination of agricultural economics and and management studies. 

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