basics

• output= final product produced from the subsystem e.g.(wheat, wool, beef)
• silage needs anaerobic conditions to ferment
• input = the addition of particular materials
• urea = artificial nitrogen added to soil to increase the level
• animals lose weight due to heat, excretion
• effective rainfall=rainfall that hits the ground and soaks in
• native pastures

  kangaroo grass, wallaby grass, spear grass, mitchell grass
• introduced pastures=pastures that have been introduced to an area by humans from overseas
• main farming zones

  temperate, sub-tropical, tropical, semi-arid
• Indigenous Australians managed land prior to the arrival of Europeans


  firestick farming- regenerated areas with encourage regrowth and attract animals, fire would keep down the fuel supply on the ground (cool fire)

  fish and eel collection from creeks and river- fish traps (reed nets and stones)

  yams replanted within the tribal areas to be harvested later on

  wild seed plants were planted in cleared areas and harvested to make damper
• economic importance of farming in Australia


  generate $76 billion in gross value per year

  employs around 370,000 people across Australia

  farms take up 60% of all the land in Australia

  farming families in Australia decreasing, while the average size of farms increase

  struggle to make a profit and forced to find extra work
• extensive agriculture


  animals kept in a large area
• intensive agriculture


  large number of animals in a small confined space
• sustainability


  the production of food, fibre, or other plants or animals products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities and animal welfare. Leaving the land in a better state than it was received
• feedback mechanisms (Tocal Dairy)

  cents/litres, litres per cow per year, calf/cow, total annual income, total annual costs, net cost
• cost-price squeeze


  when the inputs price are increasing and commodities prices are not increasing at the same rate, therefore the final profit of the production is minimal
• impacts of agriculture

  • commodities price are high, more money flows into the local communities, new machinery, fertiliser, chemical, building materials, creates employment
  • less people are working on farms, less money going into the local economy. job opportunities are lost, children don't attend school
  • droughts also reduce the amount of money going into the local economy, this has a knock on affect on the local business
• system


  group of interacting components, operating together for a common purpose
• subsystems


  interacting components with a common purpose ( the goals an ambitions of the farm manager )
• boundary

  limitations of the farm system including things such as farm capital, amount of available land, topography, technology, skill of farm manager
• feedback


  information flowing back to the manager relating to effect of the output
• enterprises


  individual income producing operations on the farm
• processes


  activities which occur on the farm to convert inputs to outputs
• export market


  business to maintain manufacturing and production within their own country while seeking foreign markets to export their goods
• secondary industries


  industry that converts the raw materials provided by primary industry into commodities and products for the consumer; manufacturing industry
• mechanisation 

  the process of changing from working largely or exclusively by hand or with animals to doing that work with machinery
• gross margin

  A-B=C

  A is the total income of all enterprises, B is the variable costs and C is gross margin

  per/ha
• variable costs


  costs that are directly linked to the enterprise
• fixed costs

  costs that are not linked to the enterprise