| Major changes in the institutional and economic environments both at the global and national levels since the 1970s, have contributed to transform Saskatchewan's agricultural sector, as well as its agricultural land-use patterns. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, this study outlines the dimensions of the structural changes in southern Saskatchewan's agriculture and examines how individual farmers are adapting to the changes at the farm level. Specifically, the study examines changes occurring in farmers' cropping patterns, cultivation methods and marketing strategies.;The research has found that while some of the changes in southern Saskatchewan's agriculture are a continuation of those that occurred in the early post war years, others are particularly unique to the 1990s. The study has also found that individual farmers in the study area have diversified the crops they grow, changed their cultivation methods and the way they market their farm products, as a strategy to adapt to the changes. The research further found that, even though soil, climate, availability of markets and farmers' personal characteristics among other factors have influenced their decisions in the adaptation process, low producer prices of agricultural products seem to be the major factor that has encouraged many farmers to depart from traditional patterns. |
