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Introduction to Saskatchewan Polytechnic

• AGRI 103: Agronomy

  • Focus: Basic components of plant growth, seed quality, plant parts, plant growth and development, plant classification, maturity systems, and seeding rates.

  • Crops Concentration: Emphasis on cereal, pulse, and oilseed crop production.

• AGRI 105: Crop Production

  • Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explaining environmental conditions needed for crop growth.

  2. Applying crop classification systems.

  3. Describing structures and functions of plant organs.

  4. Describing selected cultural practices in crop production.

  5. Discussing plant breeding functions.

  6. Describing the technologies and approaches used in cereals, oilseeds, and pulse crop production.

Definition of Agronomy

• Agronomy: An applied science that:

  • Studies the production of crops from a biological and ecological perspective.

  • Examines the relationships between plants, soils, and the environment to produce crops efficiently while conserving natural resources.

• Topics Covered:

  • Growth and development of plants.

  • Properties of the soil and interaction with crops.

  • Nutrient requirements and provision methods.

  • Influence of climate and environmental factors on plant growth at different stages.

  • Effects of weeds, insects, and crop diseases on plant growth.

Benefits to Society

• Agricultural Crop Products:

  • Food

  • Feed

  • Fiber

  • Fuel

• Economic Benefits:

  • Employment across sectors.

  • Exports and trade.

• Major Exports from Saskatchewan:

  • Wheat, Canola, Barley, Oats, Lentils, Field Peas.

• Minor Exports:

  • Flax, Mustard, Canaryseed, Chickpeas.

• Specialty or Developing Crops:

  • Corn, Sunflowers, Soybeans, Faba beans, Camelina, Coriander, Quinoa, Hemp, Fenugreek, annual and perennial forages.

Saskatchewan Statistics

• Population:

  • Saskatchewan Population (as of October 1, 2023): 1,218,976

  • Canada's Population: 40,758,222

  • Saskatchewan accounts for 3% of Canada's population.

• Agricultural Land Use:

  • Saskatchewan is home to 40% of Canada's agricultural land.

  • 40 million acres of cropland, representing 43% of Canada's total cropland.

  • 20 million acres of pasture/forage land.

Crop Production Statistics (2021)

• Canola:

  • Over half of Canada’s canola acres (~12 million acres).

• Flax:

  • 78.5% of Canada’s flax acres (784,381 acres).

• Spring Wheat:

  • 44% of Canada’s spring wheat acres (7.1 million acres).

• Durum Wheat:

  • 81.4% of Canada’s durum wheat area (4.7 million acres).

• Barley:

  • 43.7% of Canada’s barley acres (3.6 million acres).

• Oat:

  • 46% of Canada’s oat acres (1.7 million acres).

• Lentils:

  • 89.3% of Canada’s lentil acres (3.8 million acres).

• Chickpeas:

  • 76% of Canada’s chickpea acres (168,654 acres).

• Faba Beans:

  • 50.5% of Canada’s faba bean acres (61,300 acres).

Employment and Economic Contributions (2023)

• Agriculture and Agri-food System:

  • Employed 2.3 million individuals (1 in 9 jobs).

  • Generated $150 billion of Canada’s GDP (approximately 7%).

  • Primary Agriculture Receipts: A recorded $93 billion with a 5.8% average annual growth from 2013-2023.

• By Sector:

  • Crop Production:

  • GDP: $24.5 billion

  • Jobs: 114,800

  • Animal Production:

  • GDP: $7.2 billion

  • Jobs: 106,700

  • Food and Beverage:

  • GDP: $35.2 billion

  • Jobs: 322,600

Provincial Agricultural Cash Receipts (2019-2023)

• British Columbia:

  • Dairy: $731 million

  • Vegetables: $656 million

  • Floriculture, nursery, and sod: $579 million

• Alberta:

  • Cattle and calves: $6.3 billion

  • Canola: $3.4 billion

  • Wheat: $2.8 billion

• Saskatchewan:

  • Canola: $6.3 billion

  • Wheat: $4.5 billion

  • Cattle and calves: $1.7 billion

• Manitoba:

  • Canola: $1.9 billion

  • Wheat: $1.5 billion

  • Hogs: $1.3 billion

• Ontario:

  • Dairy: $2.5 billion

  • Vegetables: $2.4 billion

  • Soybeans: $2.1 billion

• Quebec:

  • Dairy: $2.8 billion

  • Hogs: $1.7 billion

  • Poultry: $957 million

• New Brunswick:

  • Cannabis: $272 million

  • Potatoes: $197 million

  • Dairy: $131 million

• Nova Scotia:

  • Dairy: $164 million

  • Fruit: $79 million

  • Eggs: $49 million

• Prince Edward Island:

  • Potatoes: $293 million

  • Dairy: $98 million

  • Cattle and calves: $37 million

• Newfoundland and Labrador:

  • Dairy: $49 million

  • Eggs: $21 million

  • Floriculture, nursery, and sod: $9 million

Crop Production and Global Food Supply Trends

• Food Production: The rate of world food production per capita has consistently exceeded the population growth rate.

• Contributing Factors:

  • Advances in plant breeding, fertilizers, irrigation, and improved crop management have significantly increased crop production per acre worldwide.

  • The Green Revolution: A period of extensive agricultural transformation that led to increased crop yields.

  • AGRA: Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity.

• Outlook: Continued advancements in agronomy and agricultural technology are anticipated to further enhance crop productivity, supporting the food supply for the growing global population.

Environmental Benefits and Challenges

• Resources: Soil, water, and energy resources are vital for agriculture but can be degraded or depleted by agricultural activities (e.g., erosion, soil nutrient loss, salinization).

• Technological Advances:

  • Help to preserve soil, water, and energy resources.

  • Enhanced crop production efficiency resulting in lower resource input.

  • Improved crop genetics promoting better nutrient and water-use efficiency as well as pest resistance.

  • Implementation of precision agriculture to further increase productivity per area and mitigate resource depletion.

• Sustainability: The goal is to increase productivity to avoid further conversion of marginal cropland, which incurs higher inputs for lower yields.

• Ecosystem Preservation: Aim to prevent the loss or degradation of essential ecosystems, landscapes, and habitats.