Crop Diversification Practices in Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

Agriculture in the province of Saskatchewan is currently undergoing a significant structural change in response to changing economic, environmental, and political conditions. Diversification is becoming an agricultural strategy to reduce economic risk on the farm. Deciding on the type of diversification is not easy. The strategy is to integrate environmental concerns into the development process without fettering development itself. It has to improve environmental conditions and to increase productivity, especially of degraded lands. The Canadian Prairies pause to celebrate the centennial year of agriculture. The farmers and scientists look to a bright future as they continue to bring innovative ideas and technologies to crop producers. The farmers are increasingly adopting extended and diversified crop rotations together with conservation tillage practices. Many of these newer cropping systems are recognized as being more environmentally sustainable; however, often there is a conflict between achieving the long-term goal of resource sustainability and the short-term goal of economic viability. Adoption of technologies to improve nitrogen use efficiency will have the potential to significantly reduce energy use and Green House Gases (GHG). Application of all nitrogen at seeding or split within crop application will reduce the risk of loss of income due to under- or over-fertilization. Including oilseed and pulse crops in rotations that have traditionally been monoculture and cereal based, and reducing the frequency of summer fallow, contributes to higher net farm incomes in most regions, despite the higher production costs. In general, the profitability of cereal–oilseed–cereal pulse systems is > cereal–oilseed > monoculture cereal rotations in the more humid regions.