agribusiness

American  

[ag-ruh-biz-nis] / ˈæg rəˌbɪz nɪs /

Or agrobusiness

noun

1. the businesses collectively associated with the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products.

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agribusiness British  

/ ˈæɡrɪˌbɪznɪs /

noun

1. the various businesses collectively that process, distribute, and support farm products

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agribusiness Cultural  

1. The part of the economy devoted to the production, processing, and distribution of food, including the financial institutions that fund these activities.

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Agribusiness emphasizes agriculture as a big business rather than as the work of small family farms.

Etymology

Origin of agribusiness

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55; agri- + business

Example Sentences

Hundreds of Indigenous people have been protesting in northern Brazil for two weeks outside the port terminal of US agribusiness giant Cargill, angered over the dredging and development of Amazonian rivers for grain exports.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Andersons said results in its agribusiness were hurt by spending patterns as “with a large harvest and low market prices, feed and end-use customers continue to limit their purchasing to immediate needs.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025

It’s pocket change for agribusiness, and for workers it could mean the difference between walking out of the rows or being carried out.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025

CP Group, one of the world's agribusiness giants, is the biggest company in the country.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2025

Big agribusiness companies take in billions of dollars in profit.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan