Agriculture in Saskatchewan
|
Agriculture. What do you think of when you hear this word?
Wide expanses of golden wheat fields or yellow blooms of canola set against a bright blue sky? Cattle grazing in pastures? Massive farm equipment rolling down the highway? Or maybe you think of the peace and quiet of rural living. Of course you think about food: Grain for your breads; lentils for your soups, a frosted glass of cold milk, crisp greens for your salads, or steak for the barbecue. In Saskatchewan, agriculture is all of these things and much more. |
The science behind the scenesYou might not realize that agriculture is driven by science, but in Saskatchewan, scientists are hard at work every day, developing crops that are hardier or have better nutritional qualities. Others are coming up with ways for farmers to deal with pests; creating pesticides that are less harmful to the environment; researching 'friendly insects' to control pests. Some crops are developed to fend off pests themselves (without harming other organisms). Animal scientists are developing better feeds, and coming up with better ways to house and handle livestock.
|
|
Dow AgroSciences staff demonstrates canola crossing techniques at Ag in the City.
Visit the Ministry of Agriculture website for more information about agriculture in Saskatchewan.
|
A history of agricultural scienceWith over 40 percent of Canada’s arable land, agriculture has been the economic mainstay in the province for more than 100 years.
In ag-biotechnology, Saskatchewan often takes the lead in areas like crop development and vaccine research. In fact, 30 per cent of the ag-biotech activity in Canada comes from this province. Exciting research is underway at the world-class research cluster that has developed at the University of Saskatchewan and Innovation Place in Saskatoon. |