Final answer:
Von Thünen's Model predicts agricultural land use based on transportation costs, perishability of products, and distance to market, with technological innovations and government policies also influencing modern farming decisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Von Thünen's Model is an agricultural model that explains the factors that influence a farmer's decision-making process regarding land use and agricultural production. The major factors according to Von Thünen's theory revolve around the cost of transportation, distance to markets, and the perishability of products. Essentially, farmers will decide what to produce based on how far they are from the market and the transportation costs associated with their products. Produce that is expensive to transport and highly perishable, like dairy and vegetables, is typically grown closer to markets to reduce costs and prevent spoilage. In contrast, crops that are less expensive to transport and less perishable, such as grains, can be produced farther away from cities.
Additional factors that play a role in modern applications of this model include technological innovations, government policies, and other economic factors that may alter the simplistic concentric circle pattern originally conceived by Von Thünen. Technological advancements such as refrigeration and rapid transportation have changed the agriculture landscape significantly since Von Thünen's time. Government policies also affect the type of farming that can take place in certain areas, further influencing the agricultural choices farmers make.
The model predicts that there will be a series of concentric rings surrounding a central market, with each ring producing a different type of crop. Inside the closest ring to the city, one would find market gardening and dairy farms due to the perishability and high transport costs of their products. As the distance from the city increases, you would find less perishable and cheaper-to-transport crops like grain, followed by ranch lands for livestock, which are even farther away.
Government policies and economic considerations, such as subsidies, also affect farming practices and land use. These policies can shape what farmers choose to grow and where they choose to grow it, influencing factors such as public health and dietary practices.