Extensive farming

The small pig farm in Swiss mountains. The land here is mostly rock and the slopes are very steep - likely unusable for agriculture, but can provide impressive conditions for pigs

Extensive farming (as opposed to intensive farming) is an agricultural production system that uses little inputs on vast areas of land, such as the Great Plains.

Extensive farming most commonly refers to sheep and cattle farming in areas with low agricultural productivity.

Geography

Extensive farming is found in the mid-latitude sections of most continents. The nature of extensive farming means it can cope with lower rainfall amounts than that of intensive farming.

Just as the demand has led to the basic division of cropping and pastoral activities, these areas can also be subdivided depending on the regions rainfall, vegetation type and agricultural activity within the area.

Economic Viability

Subsidies

see Agricultural policy

Infrastructure

Rural Life

see Rural sociology

See also

• Intensive farming
• Canadian Wheat Board

Categories

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