Agricultural Territory

1
Agricultural Territory
2

• The image above is a wheat harvester.
• In Canada wheat is a staple.
• Staple is a crop that a territory can produce
  very easily and makes lots of money from selling
  it (exporting).
• The western provinces in Canada, especially
  Saskatchewan produce wheat.
• Canadian wheat is exported all over the world.
• This generates large profits for Canada and its
  farmers.

3

• Wheat is primarily used to make flour.
• The grains are grinded into a powder and then
  treated in order to preserve the product.
• Some products that use wheat include
• Breads (white and whole grain)
• Pasta
• Any type of dough (pizza, pastries, etc.)
• Cereal
• Beer and liquors
• Flour

4
Sharing a territory

• All over the world cities and farmland share a
  very close relationship.
• People need food in order to survive.
• Therefore, territories must be shared between the
  city and farmland.
• The larger the population the more food it will
  need.
• More food means more agricultural production.

5

• However, there is a problem with a growing
  population.
• For example, in Quebec most of the population
  lives in the St. Lawrence Plain.

6

• This is also where most of Quebecs farmland is
  located.
• As the population of Quebec increases more land
  will be needed to develop communities.
• The growing cities begins to take up space that
  would normally be used for farmland.

7

• In the future, we may not have enough farmland to
  produce enough food for the entire population if
  cities continue to grow.
• Furthermore, these territories have to deal with
  
• Population growth
• Agricultural practices are harmful to the
  environment.
• Pollution and smell
• Development.

8
Agricultural Territories in Quebec

• In Quebec cities and farms have developed
  alongside one another for many years.
• The first farms and cities were started in the
  St. Lawrence valley.
• This area has a suitable climate and fertile
  soil, which made it ideal for farming.
• Also, the river made shipping and travel very
  easy which allowed cities to develop.

9

• Some crops are more adaptable to less fertile
  land (they can survive our harsh climate too).
• However, the problem is that these crops are less
  profitable for the farmers.
• This is a big concern for many farmers. Since the
  profit that they get from the sales of their
  crops need to cover their costs.
• In Quebec, dairy, livestock (beef and pork), and
  fodder are the most profitable.
• Fodder is crops used to feed livestock.

10

• Over the years cities in Quebec have been getting
  larger. Which means that cities are taking up
  farm land.
• In Quebec, there are still fertile land.
• However, this soil and climate are not suitable
  for the most profitable types of farming.
• Arable/fertile refers to land that is suitable
  for farming.

11
Divided Space

• The earliest farms in Quebec were divided by the
  Seigneurial system.
• This was used in many French colonies during the
  17th century.
• In this system land was given to a wealthy
  Seigneur (landlord) by the king of France.
• This landlord would then divide up this land into
  a system of rangs.
• Rangs are long narrow rectangles that usually
  boarder a road and water.

12

• Farmers would be allowed to farm the land.
• The farmers would give the landlord a tithe
  (tax).
• The rangs were very close together, which
  promoted a sense of community and mutual help.
• Today these farms are still very close together.
• At times disputes arise over farming techniques.
  For example if a farmer uses a lot of chemical
  fertilizers.

13

• Today the number farms in Quebec is decreasing.
• However, the size of farms are getting bigger.
• This means that wealthy farmers and large
  corporations are buying smaller family farms.
• Many of these farms are producing high profit
  crops that are not necessarily used by the
  population.

14
Quebec Dairy Production

• Farming has significantly changed over the last
  few decades.
• Advancements such as chemical fertilizers and
  smart crops (genetically modified)
• However, dairy farming continues to operate on
  the same basic principals as it always has.
• No real changes can be made to dairy cows.
• In Quebec dairy farming is the most important
  agricultural industry.

15

• In Quebec, one in four (25) farms are dairy
  farms.
• Furthermore, one third (33) of Canadas dairy
  production is centered in Quebec.
• Since 2005, there are three major dairy producers
  in Quebec.
• Agropur, Saputo, and Parmalat produce more than
  75 of all of Quebecs milk.

16
Organized Space

• Rural countryside, farmland, less developed,
  small population.
• Urban city, highly developed, large population
• There are major differences between rural and
  urban populations.
• 1 . Rural communities have a different
  relationship with nature, climate and seasons.
• This is due to the fact that social, economic,
  and cultural life is affected.

17

• 2. Farms contribute to the development of rural
  communities.
• Farms provide jobs, development of retail and
  public services.
• 3. Development of farming associations
• Veteran farmers develop groups to help young
  farmers.
• They also set prices and allocate money for the
  purchase of new equipment.
• This is done to promote life in rural areas.

18
Global Ties

• Quebec is linked to the larger global network.
• The system of importing and exporting connects
  most countries in the world.
• Moving food around the world has become a very
  large and complex industry, which employs
  thousands.
• Today a large portion of the food we eat comes
  from far away. Especially outside of the growing
  season.

19
Concentration Phenomenon

• Concentration farming It refers to big
  corporations that buy farms to meet their own
  needs.
• One example is McDonalds.
• It regularly buys farms in order to grow products
  such as wheat, potatoes, vegetables, and raise
  cattle/chicken.
• Concentration also means that there will be less
  variety in the types of farms found in a specific
  area.

20

• Concentration also refers to the development of
  cities, which takes up valuable farming land.
• The more land that is used by cities the less
  land that farms will have to develop.
• This means that the farms that are remaining will
  have to remain competitive.
• These farms will have to change what they
  grow/raise.
• Ex Raising cattle is more profitable than dairy
  farming.

21
Consequences of Concentration

1. Overall drop in the number of farms in a specific
   area.
2. Increase in size of the remaining farms.
3. Loss of family farms and farming communities.
4. Less diversity of produce.
5. Increase in food prices (because certain foods
   will become rare).
6. Higher pollution levels.

22
Agriculturally Zoned Land

• Since 1978 agricultural land has been protected
  by law.
• Agricultural land is zoned as a green zone
• In Quebec 6.4 million hectares are protected.
• The law states that only agricultural and its
  associated activities are permitted in these
  green zones.
• The CPTAQ states that the reason for this law is
  to protect farmland for future generations.

23

• Why was a law like this necessary?
• Keep family farms and farming communities alive.
• Ensure food production
• Protect against urban sprawl
• Urban sprawl is space that is occupied by cities
  and its activities.
• Urban sprawl includes development of highways,
  power lines, factories, suburbs, shopping
  centers.

24

• Is this laws effective?
• This law continues to remain controversial.
• Many people disagree with the way the law is
  implemented.
• Those that agree with the law, say that it would
  put a stop to greedy corporations buying an
  overdeveloping former agricultural land.
• Those that are against the law, say that the law
  does not go far enough.

25
Production without destruction

• Many seem to associate farming with a natural
  (simple) way of life.
• However, the creation of a farm means land and
  forests need to be cleared.
• Furthermore, the use of heavy machines,
  pesticides, and diversion of steams and rivers
  are frequent in the development of farms.
• In recent years the development of farms puts
  excessive pressure on the environment.

26

• Today farming has the following effects on the
  environment
• The use of heavy fertilizers and pesticides will
  erode the soil. The pesticides will make their
  way into streams and groundwater.
• Destruction of animal habitats. This may lead to
  the extinction of various plant and animal
  species.
• The use of heavy chemicals may prove to be
  hazardous to the health of farm workers and
  consumers.

27

• Changes to farming occurred around the 1950s.
• During this time farming became more intensive.
• Farmers started to produce crops and products
  that are more profitable animal feed, livestock.
• These intensive farming practices also damage to
  soil and may contribute the pollution of water
  sources.

28
3 Sources of Pollution

• There are three types of pollution
• 1. agriculture
• 2. urban (city)
• 3. industrial sector
• Industry and urban form point source pollution,
  which means the source of pollution is identified
  and well known.
• Laws have been put in place to help fix the
  situation.
• Agriculture is non point source pollution,
  which means pollution spreads outside of farms.
  ex water source

29
Watershed Management

• A watershed is an area that is drained by a
  single lake or river.
• Watersheds have natural borders usually hills or
  mountains. All the water that runs off these
  borders ends up in the water.
• The problem is that farms are usually located
  within these borders.
• Therefore, all of the waste, pesticides and
  fertilizers that are not absorbed by the crops
  will end up in the water.

30

• Groups called basin organizations are working to
  reverse the contamination of our watersheds.
• Members of these groups include citizens,
  farmers, and local/provincial governments.
• In 1996 Quebec joined the International Networks
  of Basin Organizations.
• Quebec has three major watersheds St. Lawrence
  River watershed, Hudson Bay watershed, Ungava Bay
  watershed.
• The most heavily polluted is the St. Lawrence.

31
Hog Farming in Quebec

• Quebec is the largest producer of pork in Canada.
• Hog farms produce a lot of waste. Waste which
  eventually ends up in our watersheds.
• Hog waste contains high levels of methane and
  other types of chemicals that can damage our
  water supply.
• In Quebec the number of hog farms has been
  increasing and crop farms have been decreasing.

32

• Hog waste does make an excellent fertilizer.
• However, Quebec is running out of farmland
  therefore, there is less land to spread this
  waste.
• Another problem is that hog waste is liquid,
  which makes it very easy to end up in our water
  supplies.

33
Intensive vs. Sustainable Agriculture

• Intensive Agriculture
• Is based on high productivity and high profit
  over a short period of time.
• This makes farms larger, increased use of
  fertilizers pesticides.
• Fierce competition and 1 type of crop.
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Meeting human food needs as well as protecting
  the environment.

34

• This type of farming uses natural seeds and
  environmentally safe farming methods.
• One example is organic farms.
• Organic means that farmers work as much as
  possible with natural products and practices.
• Everything that comes out of an organic farm does
  not have any chemicals or genetic materials mixed
  into the crops.
• In Quebec roughly 20 to 30 of farms have become
  organic farm. This has become a growing world
  trend.