This study is designed to measure the amount, and character of the change in the economic performance of the agricultural sector of the Canadian economy, over the period 1926 to 1958. The major hypothesis which it examines is that changes in technology have had a positive effect on the productivity of factors used in the agricultural sector of the Canadian economy. Technological change is defined herein as any change which produces a shift in the production function of the industry, and the concept of the relative shares going to each factor of production has been used to determine the shape of the aggregate production function. In the agricultural industry natural phenomenon such as weather, which are outside the control of management, are capable of causing significant variations in annual output. These fluctuations in output make it difficult to determine the permanent effects of technological change on input-output ratios. However, the analysis assumes that farmers take into account the possible effects of weather in their decision-making processes, and also assumes that the effects of variations from this source will be randomly distributed over the 33 year period of the study. The production functions were determined by first assuming that Euler’s Theorem holds for the agricultural industry. The relative shares of each factor in total inputs were then used as the estimates of the relative share of each factor in total output. By this method the shape of the aggregate production function was determined with a minimum of distortions which may be due to the effects of exogeneous variables. The determining of the aggregate production functions in the manner used is feasible because of the high degree of competition in the agricultural industry, which contributes to a much lower level of product or process differentiation than that which exists in other industries. The problems of aggregation of products are therefore in this case minimized. The level of aggregate output was determined by expressing as an index the value series which was obtained by deflating the total value of each type of product by an appropriate price index which had a 1935-39 base. The annual deflated values were aggregated; and this output series was then expressed in terms of its value as at 1926 being made equal to 100. These indices of deflated dollar values were used in the production function as estimates of the physical quantity of the output for that particular year. A similar process was used to determine the quantity of each particular factor input which was included in the production function. The quantity of aggregate inputs, however, was determined by a geometric aggregation of the indices of the factor inputs. In this aggregate the quantity of each factor was weighted by its relative share in the aggregate input (hence output under the assumptions of the analysis). This method of geometric aggregation of inputs gives due recognition of the fact that changing marginal rates of substitution of factor inputs are possible in the agricultural industry, and that at different levels of output farmers may effect a change in the marginal rates of substitution of factors without necessarily producing a shift of the production function on which they are operating. The data for the analysis were obtained from D.B.S. material, and the changes in the output-input ratios were examined in a model of comparative statics. When this was done, it was found that when capital was measured inclusive of real estate and other improvements the net change in over-all productivity for the entire period (1926-58), was not substantially different from that which was calculated when capital was measured net of the value of these factors. Between 1926 and 1958, the net change in over-all productivity was 33 per cent when capital was measured inclusive of real estate, and 31 per cent when the value of real estate was removed. Approximately 90 per cent of this observed increase had been recorded between the years 1946 and 1958. Over the period 1950 to 1956 the difference in the calculated measure of overall productivity from each method showed, however, differences of between 3 and 6 percentage points when compared to the more frequently found difference of 2 percentage points in favour of productivity when it was derived from data which included the value of real estate. Technological change between 1926 and 1958 has been associated with an estimated decline of 28 per cent in the quantity of labour in use, a 15 per cent increase in the quantity of total capital as compared with a 43 per cent increase in the quantity of non real estate capital, and a 115 per cent increase in the quantity of annual non-labour expenses. These expenses are chiefly associated with the use of farm machinery and to a lesser extent with that of fertilizer. Feed and seed were omitted from the calculations in order to avoid the problems of double counting. The results of the analysis substantiate the main hypothesis of this study, in that technological change has a positive effect on the productivity of factors used in the agricultural sector of the Canadian economy. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

The research tests the potential of the Community Supported Agriculture Financing Method (CSAFM) as a viable alternative to traditional debt financing in Agriculture. The CSAFM provides the Farmer with a source of non-farm equity capital and an element of risk reduction which are supplied by each Member/Investor (M/I). By receiving cash up-front (from selling shares of the harvest) several months prior to seeding, costs of inputs are covered and financing costs on operating capital eliminated. Moreover, the Farmer is guaranteed a market and price for his harvested produce. M/I benefits include receiving organic produce at a discount to retail market prices. / A case study of a Canadian CSA "ABC" operation is presented to show the impact of the share price on the farm budget and M/I returns. A detailed budget analysis, demonstrates the benefits of CSA marketing versus marketing through an organic wholesaler, and CSA financing versus line of credit or loan financing. Although it was discovered that the share price was not calculated from a total budget, the Farmer was still better off with the CSAFM, which increased revenues by 34.0%, eliminated financing costs equal to 1.1% to 3% of total revenues, and yielded a net balance between $1,875.25 to $2,057.66 more than traditional techniques. For the M/I, data were collected during the 12 week contract period to value each weekly CSA delivery against both a non-organic market value (NOMV) and an organic market value (OMV). The M/I's (OMV) return on the $180 share price was 38.9%. / Given the results of the study, the CSAFM does qualifies as an alternative financing method in agriculture, displaying a win-win relationship for both Producer and Consumer.

Literature on sustainable agriculture was examined using qualitative research methods to identify institutional barriers to the transition to sustainable agriculture, and solutions to overcome them. Information was also collected from different participants in the food and agriculture system by conducting interviews and workshops, and by soliciting comments on discussion papers of preliminary findings. / An explanatory scheme (or general theory) was developed to organize strategies for overcoming institutional barriers using an efficiency--substitution--redesign framework. Efficiency strategies involve minor changes to existing activities, resulting in more efficient resource use. Substitution strategies involve replacing one product, technique or activity with another. Redesign strategies require solutions and institutional activities that mimic ecological processes. Solutions consistent with each category are analyzed and discussed in the areas of research, education, technology transfer, government programs and regulations, taxation, safety nets, consumer activism, marketing and advertising, corporate legal status, and organizational design and management.

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This thesis examines the conditions presiding over conceptual changes in soil sciences in Québec since 1960, and the legitimation of research in agrobiology. At the beginning of the seventies, researchers in soil sciences opted for a physico-chemical interpretation of soil fertility phenomena and for a scientific practice that involved analytical and experimental tools centered around the ionic movements of nutrients in soil solution and the attainment of high yields. Following soil degradation problems, researchers’ turned toward composting practices fostered by agrobiologists and foresters. After recognizing the role of organic matter in agricultural productivity, soil scientists adopted a biological interpretation of soil fertility and studied the role of microorganisms in the evolution of organic matter and in the provision of nutrients. The knowledge produced in soil biology benefited from the existence of a network of agrobiologists who, while insuring the diffusion of that knowledge, secured the agrobiological identity of composting practices for soil conservation. The commensurability of experimental practices and theoretical entities in soil fertility and agrobiology, as well as the support of agrobiologists for applying the knowledge produced in soil biology legitimated research in agrobiology. / Master of Science