The Rural Voice, 1983-10, Page 22FARM NEWS
Study shows agricultural land disappearing
Despite warnings from farmers,
rural politicians and agricultural
organizations farmland is disappear-
ing and a study released recently by
Environment Canada backs up these
warnings.
The study based on fifteen years'
research indicates that Eastern
Canada has lost major farmland at a
disturbing rate to urban development
and through dismal economic
realities of farming.
Quebec and the Maritimes lost
more than half their agricultural land
base and Ontario lost 20 per cent or
more, according to the report.
While Eastern Canada lost 9.6
million acres of farmland, western
Canada increased by 6.2 million leav-
ing the country with a net loss of 3.4
million acres. Aside from the loss in
numbers, the land taken out of pro-
duction is of higher quality and
located in more temperature regions
than that gained in climatically less -
favourable western areas, the study
summarized.
The study continued with "Cana-
dians are continuing to develop on
the best of their agricultural land
resource, taking short-term gains at
the expense of future generations."
The report went on to say that
despite Canada's vast size, only 11
per cent of the land is of any
agricultural value and just 0.5 per
cent is prime agricultural land which
is located around and under the coun-
try's major urban centres.
The impact is already being felt
with Canadian imports of food stuffs
increasing by 69.5 per cent between
1961 and 1976. "In particular, im-
ports of such key foodstuffs as fresh
produce and fruits (even in season)
MAILBOX OF THE MONTH
This month's mailbox is located in Grey county.
Photo by Merle Gunby.
PG 20 THE RURAL VOICE. OCTOBER 1983
reveal an increasing dependence on
foreign sources" the study says.
The conclusion is that "an
economic and social climate must be
created where farming and good land
management make sense to the
owners and users of land."❑
Good prices
for corn and soys
The news was good for farmers
selling their crops of white soybeans
and corn. Experts speaking at the re-
cent Crop Update session at Centralia
College talked about record levels
and a rosy future.
Charlie Broadwell of the Ontario
Bean Producers Marketing Board
and Doug White, new general
manager of the Ontario Soybean
Marketing Board, reported that with
yields down in soybeans and fewer
farmers growing white beans all in-
dicated better prices for those selling.
Dick Moffat of Teasdale Grain
Ltd. predicted a price of $3.90 for
corn which he said would be
uneconomical to feed hogs and cattle.
The session was also a chance for
Centralia to offer area farmers and
groups from Michigan and New York
State a view of the cropping tests and
to hear the reports.
Experiments with solid -seeded
white beans look good according to
Pat Lynch, Huron -Perth soil and
crop specialist. Solid seeding helps
reduce white mould problems as the
pods are held up off the ground. It
takes about 25 per cent more seed per
acre. Lynch said that they need three
years of testing before advocating a
move to solid -seeding.
Rick Upfold reported on the results
of the intensive cereal management
which, it is hoped, will duplicate the.
120 - 130 bushel per acre that occurs
in cereal crops in Europe. To date the
results have not been very impressive
due to weather conditions.
Cautious optimism was the word
from Bob Forrest of the Centralia
agronomy division on the ex-
periments with canola. Canola has
similar yields and uses as soybeans
but requires more nitrogen and is af-
fected more by insects.
Centralia is on the southern fringe
of the ideal growing area but Forrest
expects the crop will increase in
popularity further to the north.❑