What term describes commercial firms that have developed with or stem out of agriculture?

• A. Subsoil
• B. Leaching
• C. Agribusiness
• D. Calcification

Answer: (C)

Agribusiness describes the commercial side of farming—the firms and activities that have grown up around agriculture, from seed and machinery companies to processing, marketing, and distribution of agricultural products. It captures how farming is connected to business, industry, and the broader economy, not just the act of farming itself. In Canada and elsewhere, agribusiness includes everything from agricultural inputs to food processors and exporters, highlighting the integrated system that supports modern agriculture. The other terms refer to soil-related concepts, not business concepts: subsoil is a soil layer, leaching is the movement of nutrients through soil, and calcification is the buildup of calcium carbonate in soils.