美国农业

nullnull nullAgriculture is one of America’s most valuable industries, accounting for 2% of the US annual GDP. Today the U.S agriculture employs only 0.7% of the US economic employment population (2009).Plains make up about half of America’s large territory, with cultivated farmland constituting 19% of the total land area.The United States is the world’s richest agricultural nation, and owns highly favorable conditions for its agricultural development— the abundant natural resources, the moderate climate, the vast areas of land suitable for growing crops and a large diversity of landscapes…Compared with 1.5% in 2001null二. The characteristics of agricultural development 1. Agriculture is the very foundation on which to build the country. It’s the foundation of manufacture and business and is always the essential mainstay of the economy.2. Highly commercialized family farms is the foundation. 以高度商业化的家庭农场为基础。Though bigger farms have increasingly replaced small farming farms, the foundation of commercial farm is still be family farm. The owners of large farms are trying to make a bigger profit by developing agribusiness. 3. High degree of specialization of agriculture.(农业专业化程度很高）Some famous development belts were formed in America—corn belt, wheat belt, cotton belt, and so on. This kind of regional division let every region well displaying their respective advantages available. And it’s also favorable to reducing costs and increasing productivity. 4. Agriculture products are surplus, deeply relying on the international markets.The United States is the largest exporter of agricultural products. In 1930’s, on the ground of the surplus of the agricultural products, the serious agricultural crisis has happened to America’s agriculture, which gave it a ruinous blow. nullThe distribution of America’s commercial grain agriculturenullnullnullnull三. Some predominant planting belts.1. The corn belt in Midwest “Midwest” refers to the 8 states beside the great lakes. From Ohio in the east to the Minnesota in the northwest and to the Missouri in the southwest . This is the most famous crop growing belt in America and is also the world’s largest corn growing zone. The United States is the largest producer of corn in the world, accounting for 50% of the world’s total production. And the total production of corn take up 90% of the total roughage .2. Wheat belt in the great plains (大平原）.The most important food crop in the United States is wheat, though its production is second to the corn. Winters in the North are long and cold, so spring wheat is grown here. The North Dakota is the leading producer. Winters in the south are not so cold, so it’s the habitat of winter wheat . And Kansas is the leading producer of the winter wheat, known as the “breadbasket of America”. nullCotton was the predominant crop in the south while today it’s no longer important In some of the traditional cotton growing areas. It has become more important in the East of the Mississippi valley. Texas and the Central Valley of California.4. Comprehensive agricultural region in the Pacific coast.Infected by the Pacific Ocean Drift, the climate is wet and moderate which is suitable for growing of various crops. California is the leading vegetable producing state and much of its cropland is irrigated. Washington D.C and Oregon are the significant producer of wheat.The traditional cotton area is from Atlantic in the east to east of Texas in the west. But It has been spread to the west since the World War Ⅱ。The largest cotton yield state Is Texas, whose yield take up 27% of the whole country. The cotton industry in the southwest of America is highly developed, including California known as the “sunshine State” and the river valley of Arizona. 3.Cotton belt in south area.nullSome other crops in AmericanTobacco, another profitable crop of the south is mainly grown on the coastal plain between Virginia and Florida, including Kentucky and Tennessee. And it’s also a world’s major producer of soybeans, sorghum, oats, citrus fruits and so on. Soybeans production is concentrated heavily in Iowa and Illinois.Vegetables are grown widely in the United States, outside major U.S cites, small farms and gardens , known as truck farms, are devoted to the growth of vegetables and some varieties of fruits for urban markets.Many kinds of fruits are also grown in the United States. Apples, pears and plums are grown in the northern states.Citrus fruits– emons, oranges and grapefruits—grow well in Florida, southern Texas, and southern California. Nuts grow on irrigated land in the Central Valley of California and in parts of southern California. nullnull四. Animal Husbandry in America.Animal husbandry is a highly developed industry, and is also the funds and technology Intensive husbandry. 1.Beef and dairy products are important components of the American diet.The Great plains between the Mississippi Valley and the Rockets are a great animal farming area. Animal farming is known as ranching.2.Texas leads all the other states in the production of range cattle, while Kansas is a big producer of beef.3.Iowa, and Illinois are important producers of non-range feeder cattle.4.The dairy belt, the production center of dairy products, includes southern Wisconsin and most other northeastern states.5.Hog production tends to be concentrated in Iowa, Illinois, and surrounding states. And Iowa leads the United States in hog raising, accounting for about one-quarter of the national output.6.Chicken production is widespread, but southern states, including Texas, Arkansas, and Alabama, are the largest producers of chicken.nullnullnullnullThe basic goals for agricultural research of the United States are as follows:On the premise of protecting the environment and improving the environmental quality, most effectively utilize and save the resources, improve the agricultural yield , the rate of profit and the quality of the agricultural products  .so as to keep the competition of agriculture in the international market.null