Distinguish between Subsistence Agriculture and Commercial Agriculture.

Subsistence agriculture is usually found in less developed countries, and the production of food is for the farmer’s immediate family. Subsistence farmers farm for survival, and usually do not look to make a profit off of the crops that they grow. Commercial agriculture is usually found in more developed countries, and the crops are grown in huge quantities to support entire populations for a profit. The 5 main things that distinguish commercial agriculture from subsistence agriculture are the purpose, number of farmers in the workforce, use of machinery, farm size, and relationships with other businesses. The purpose of farming varies in LDCs with subsistence farmers and MDCs with commercial farmers. Subsistence farmers farm for survival. The crops that they grow are for the consumption of their immediate family. Often times the crops they grow are their only source of food. Any surplus that subsistence farmers may be sold to the governments or even traded among other villagers. Commercial farmers, grow crops and raise livestock in large quantities for a profit rather than for their own consumption. Commercial products are produced in bulk to support entire populations. The products they produce are not directly sold to consumers but sent to food processing companies. From here, products are sent to markets and stores to be sold to consumers. The percentage of farmers in the work force in MDCs is less than 5%. In some countries like the United States and Canada, only 2 percent of the workforce is farmers. In LDCs, about 55% of the workforce is comprised of subsistence farmers. In MDCs, the number of farmers has declined dramatically as the use of machinery has increased. In MDCs, a small number of farmers are able to feed so many people due to the use of technology used to farm. In LDCs, farmers have to rely on man and animal power to produce crops. Commercial farmers also use scientific advances to increase their output. Scientists have been able to generate new fertilizers, herbicides, hybrid plants, animal breeds, and farming practices, which have contributed to the ability of commercial farmers to produce higher yields. Another difference between commercial and subsistence agriculture is farm size. In MDCs, commercial farms are relatively large, especially in the US and Canada. Most commercial farms are family owned and operated. Because the size of farms in MDCs is increasing, the amount of large farms is decreasing because the need for more farms is declining. However, the land devoted to farming has increased primarily through irrigation and reclamation. The movie Cow Belles is about two girls who end up working for their wealthy father who owns a dairy farm. This relates to commercial agriculture because the movie shows many characteristics of commercial farming. The girls work on a large family owned dairy farm, their father is wealthy because he is seeking to make a profit, and the farm uses machinery to produce products in bulk.