The study endeavours to measure the growth in agricultural productivity and the concomitant changes in the relative contributions of the factors of production for the provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan over the period 1926 to 1954. Productivity is defined as the ratio of total output to total input¹, both expressed in physical units. The inputs were arranged in ten categories: labour, real estate, livestock, implements and machinery, cost of operating farm machinery, building costs, machinery costs, taxes, fertilizers, and miscellaneous. The outputs were arranged into four categories: field crops, livestock, forest products, and house rent. To facilitate the adding of the individual inputs and outputs, which occur in different units, the inputs and outputs are expressed in dollar values at constant prices. This is achieved by deflating the current dollar values by appropriate price indexes. Since the base period of price indexes is 1935-39, the inputs are expressed in dollar values at 1935-39 prices. Thus an index of the input values at 1935-39 prices is analagous to an index of the physical inputs and an index of the output values at 1935-39 prices is analagous to an index of the physical outputs. The analysis was to a certain extent hampered by the lack of requisite information and the inconsistencies in some of the published data. Though the degree of this inaccuracy could not be determined, it is worth noting that the output index numbers since 1935 were close to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics Index of Farm Production, derived from physical production data. Both indexes agreed reasonably well except for those of British Columbia between 1946 and 1954 during which period the Dominion Bureau of Statistics output index numbers were consistently higher. The secular trend in the productivity ratios was obscured by varying weather and economic conditions. To make comparisons possible, two periods were chosen during which there were full employment and favourable weather conditions - the years 1926-1928 and 1952-1954. The results indicated that between these two periods the overall agricultural productivity in British Columbia had increased by 17 per cent, and in Saskatchewan by 33 per cent. The changes in the input structure associated with these changes in productivity can be summarized as follows: (1) The relative contribution of labour has declined. In both provinces it dropped from the major input factor to the third largest input. (2) The relative share of real estate increased in British Columbia from the second largest to the largest input factor. In Saskatchewan the relative share of real estate remained the second largest input factor. (3) The relative share of machinery increased in both provinces. In Saskatchewan it advanced from third place in relative importance to become the main input item. While the relative share of machinery increased at a more rapid rate in British Columbia than in Saskatchewan - it follows immediately after real estate in terms of total input. (4) The remaining input factors are small in relation to the three mentioned above. Although a considerable increase may take place in the absolute amounts - as in the case of fertilizer - the effect upon the input structure was small. If the 1952-54 output index numbers for British Columbia were adjusted to those computed by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, agricultural productivity in British Columbia will have increased by 37 per cent. On the other hand, should the rate of productivity increase in British Columbia be really slower than in Saskatchewan, the explanation may lie in too rapid an introduction of technological improvements. ¹Inputs are resources used in a production process, outputs are the end products. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

An analysis of the organizational field of B.C. agriculture was conducted to explore the politics of the innovation process. Agricultural innovations in organic farming, synthetic agrichemicals and biogenetic engineering were studied at the individual, organizational and interorganizational levels. Research questions regarding the innovation decision—making process, innovation championship, organizational politics, organization theory and interorganizational networks were explored. A total of 137 persons (organic and conventional farmers, BCMAFF employees, farm organization employees) were interviewed in this research study. Data was collected via semi—structured interviews, questionnaires, and analysis of publications to investigate a total of 28 research questions. Similarities and differences between organic and conventional farmers in respect to their socioeconomic characteristics, motivations, actions and environmentalist beliefs were identified. Organic farmers basis for their innovation adoption decisions was found to be largely informed by their environmentalist philosophy whereas the primary motivating factor for conventional farmers was economic rather than ideological. Case studies of 33 farm organizations (20 conventional and 13 organic) were conducted. Organizational fields were found to be defined not only in terms of products, services and geographic location but also in terms of ideology. Within the conventional agriculture organizational field there was a high degree of homogeneity in organizational structures and decision making processes as well as close collaboration with government policy makers. Within the organic agriculture organizational field there was homogeneity in production practices, but heterogeneity in organizational structures, goals and decision making processes based on the radicalness of the environmentalist philosophy of an organization’s membership. The formation and operation of interorganizational networks in each organizational field confirmed previous findings of the critical problems in overorganized and underorganized networks. A longitudinal analysis of organizational politics in the organic agriculture organizational field revealed that institutionalization processes engender political contests among competing interests. The successful championship of an innovative government regulatory system was attributed to the early use of a wide variety of collaborative and competitive political games. Opponents’ efforts to neutralize champions’ escalation of commitment during the later stages of the innovation development process proved to be ineffective.

The Oyster River Research project begins by exploring the meaning of agriculture, the definition, the history, the cultural context of agri-culture, as well as the role of agriculture in our present day. An overview of the Agricultural Census 1992 is given to outline the Agricultural Industry past and present within Canada, and the major issues and constraints with regards to Agriculture in British Columbia are identified. Elements of farmland conservation, BC's ALR, as well as case studies and precedents regarding farmland conservation strategies are also discussed. From this research exploration, an understanding of the role and scope of UBC, the Oyster River Farm, and the surrounding community, locally and regionally is met, and programs capable of linking these issues are developed. These programs, in conjunction with the overall farm and community site design, exhibit the most beneficial means of defining and developing the relationship of UBC, the farm, and the community, while maintaining the integrity of agricultural land and the practice of farming for local food security. Ultimately, this design thesis offers a solution that attempts to serve UBC, the Oyster River Farm and the local / regional community in a manner most sensitive socially, ecologically, and economically to issues presently facing the Research Farm and the larger community of the Comox-Strathcona Regional District.

An analysis of the organizational field of B.C. agriculture was conducted to explore the politics of the innovation process. Agricultural innovations in organic farming, synthetic agrichemicals and biogenetic engineering were studied at the individual, organizational and interorganizational levels. Research questions regarding the innovation decision—making process, innovation championship, organizational politics, organization theory and interorganizational networks were explored. A total of 137 persons (organic and conventional farmers, BCMAFF employees, farm organization employees) were interviewed in this research study. Data was collected via semi—structured interviews, questionnaires, and analysis of publications to investigate a total of 28 research questions. Similarities and differences between organic and conventional farmers in respect to their socioeconomic characteristics, motivations, actions and environmentalist beliefs were identified. Organic farmers basis for their innovation adoption decisions was found to be largely informed by their environmentalist philosophy whereas the primary motivating factor for conventional farmers was economic rather than ideological. Case studies of 33 farm organizations (20 conventional and 13 organic) were conducted. Organizational fields were found to be defined not only in terms of products, services and geographic location but also in terms of ideology. Within the conventional agriculture organizational field there was a high degree of homogeneity in organizational structures and decision making processes as well as close collaboration with government policy makers. Within the organic agriculture organizational field there was homogeneity in production practices, but heterogeneity in organizational structures, goals and decision making processes based on the radicalness of the environmentalist philosophy of an organization’s membership. The formation and operation of interorganizational networks in each organizational field confirmed previous findings of the critical problems in overorganized and underorganized networks. A longitudinal analysis of organizational politics in the organic agriculture organizational field revealed that institutionalization processes engender political contests among competing interests. The successful championship of an innovative government regulatory system was attributed to the early use of a wide variety of collaborative and competitive political games. Opponents’ efforts to neutralize champions’ escalation of commitment during the later stages of the innovation development process proved to be ineffective. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

The Oyster River Research project begins by exploring the meaning of agriculture, the definition, the history, the cultural context of agri-culture, as well as the role of agriculture in our present day. An overview of the Agricultural Census 1992 is given to outline the Agricultural Industry past and present within Canada, and the major issues and constraints with regards to Agriculture in British Columbia are identified. Elements of farmland conservation, BC's ALR, as well as case studies and precedents regarding farmland conservation strategies are also discussed. From this research exploration, an understanding of the role and scope of UBC, the Oyster River Farm, and the surrounding community, locally and regionally is met, and programs capable of linking these issues are developed. These programs, in conjunction with the overall farm and community site design, exhibit the most beneficial means of defining and developing the relationship of UBC, the farm, and the community, while maintaining the integrity of agricultural land and the practice of farming for local food security. Ultimately, this design thesis offers a solution that attempts to serve UBC, the Oyster River Farm and the local / regional community in a manner most sensitive socially, ecologically, and economically to issues presently facing the Research Farm and the larger community of the Comox-Strathcona Regional District. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate

The specific objective of this study was to determine the most profitable use of agricultural resources for the median farmer in the Peace River block of British Columbia. The tool to determine this objective was Linear Programming. Fifteen activities were selected for consideration within the program. These were: four crop rotations; cow-calf; cow-yearling; four beef feedlot activities; pasture finishing of beef; confinement rearing of lambs; conventional rearing of lambs; farrow to finish swine; and finishing swine. The restraints on these activities were 480 acres of cultivated land, a sum of capital equal to $70,000 less the cost of the land, and four 780 hour labour periods. To account for disparities in the agriculture within the region, nine linear program matrices were constructed to reflect conditions documented for nine districts within the Peace River. Because no consistent data base was found to exist the author carried out a literature search to select the "best data" available for the purposes of this study. Once the data base was constructed and the programs run, the results were analysed. All nine programs called for the finishing of beef cattle using purchased high moisture barley ensiled, purchased hay, supplement, and other feedstuffs. Five of the programs also called for finishing beef cattle on pasture with purchased grain fed free choice but restricted with animal tallow. The Gross Margins resulting from these activities ranged from $19,082. to $33,936. The importance of these results lies in the fact that all crop activities which currently dominate the agricultural economy were rejected. Thus, if the median farmer is to achieve optimality, he must radically change his technology. The type of change recommended by this study is the most difficult to achieve. It calls for a concerted effort by provincial extension personnel to provide educational programs which encourage and facilitate the acceptance of such change. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

A high perceniage of vacani space within downtown Vancouver is composed of inaccessible rooftops that, through green roof implementation, are capable of sustaining a network of accessible open space that supports urban food production. With an increasing local interest in urban agriculture, an organic rooftop food production technology is due to emerge on the marketplace. This study explores the development of urban agriculture within downtown Vancouver as a potential incentive for green roof implementation. Through an analysis of current research and a related case study, a design for an organic herb garden was developed for an existing green roof above a specialty-foods grocery store in downtown Vancouver. This model allows the green roof to support the growing and selling of organic food on-site, bringing the celebration of food production to the public realm, while strengthening the connection between the green roof, its' built form and the surrounding community. The design integrates a highly-productive organic herb garden with social areas for on-site residents and employees. Using developed indicators for sustainability, a final comparative analysis of the proposed design against the related case study and existing site was completed. This study informs new directions for the social function of the green roof, while recognizing how policy and regulations for future urban development can support the advancement of urban agriculture. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate