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. 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: 1. Breads (white and whole grain) 2. Pasta 3. Any type of dough (pizza, pastries, etc.) 4. Cereal 5. Beer and liquors 6. Flour 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. However, there is a problem with a growing population. For example, in Quebec most of the population lives in the St. Lawrence Plain. 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. 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 : 1. Population growth 2. Agricultural practices are harmful to the environment. 3. Pollution and smell 4. Development. 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. 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. 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. The earliest farms in Quebec were divided by the Seigneurial system. This was used in many French colonies during the 17 th 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Why was a law like this necessary? 1. Keep family farms and farming communities alive. 2. Ensure food production 3. 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. 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. 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. Today farming has the following effects on the environment: 1. The use of heavy fertilizers and pesticides will erode the soil. The pesticides will make their way into streams and groundwater. 2. Destruction of animal habitats. This may lead to the extinction of various plant and animal species. 3. The use of heavy chemicals may prove to be hazardous to the health of farm workers and consumers. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.