Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER 3
Going Global
The Industrialization and Consolidation of Agriculture and
Food Production in the United States
From Craft Production to Mass Production
Large-scale, factory-like farms account for the bulk of food and fiber produced in the United
States today. The mass production of food has articulated with mass consumer markets to of-
fer consumers relatively inexpensive, standardized products. The range of agricultural com-
modities produced in America has been narrowed considerably in the past hundred years to
bulk commodities such as wheat, corn, soybeans, a few varieties of fruits and vegetables,
and a handful of genetically similar breeds of livestock and poultry. At the same time, the
“system of agriculture and food production” has taken on a new spatial pattern as well. At
the beginning of the twentieth century many regions of the country were fairly self-sufficient
in producing the commodities their residents consumed. Today, however, consumers depend
upon many imported products that can be produced only in climates and soils outside their
region or even the nation. 1
Several long-term trends have shaped America's food and agricultural system over the past
hundred years. First, farm numbers have steadily declined. In 1910 there were nearly 6.4 mil-
lion farms in the United States. Today, there are fewer than 2 million. Second, production has
become concentrated on a small number of very large farms. And the most highly industri-
alized farms are clustered together in “agricultural pockets” throughout the country. At the
same time, regions of the country that at one time produced substantial amounts of agricul-
tural products have seen farming all but disappear. Third, farms in every region of the coun-
try have become increasingly specialized, many producing only one or two commodities for
the market. And fourth, with the exception of some dairy products, including fluid milk and
specialty produce, the linkages between local production and local consumption have been
broken for virtually all commodities. Not only are large amounts of fresh fruits and veget-
ables, meat, and processed dairy products being shipped great distances, but once vital local
food-processing sectors have all but vanished from most regions. 2
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