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.

The objective of this study was to determine what impact, if any, interest rate subsidies have on the price of farmland in Canada. The basic capitalization model is used as a starting point for the development of several models. These econometric models are then estimated, using data from four provinces: Quebec, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The time period studied is 1972 to 1991. The findings indicate that interest subsidies do in fact affect land values, however the effect is relatively small. There are large differences between provinces in terms of subsidy amount and consequently in terms of the effect of the subsidy programs on the value of land in each province.

Ten front-line maternal social workers were interviewed to determine how they are managing in terms of combining their work and family responsibilities. Supervisor support, and the effectiveness of family-friendly work place policies were explored. All agreed, that motherhood, has had a positive impact on practice including increased empathy and understanding, for both parents and children. The following workplace initiatives were determined to be helpful: flexible and predictable work hours; part-time options; and compressed-work-week. Despite half feeling unsupported by their supervisors, the majority indicated that they are managing well primarily due to flexible work hour scheduling. The attitude of supervisors, regarding the value of parenting, appears to be the key factor relating to their level of support. There was some indication of role conflict and much evidence of accommodation, including turning down supervisory/management positions, postponing education and restricting types of practice.

In an effort to explore various difficulties in the process of reemployment, the focus of this study is how, to what extent, and in what way length of unemployment duration is generated by the interplay between the structural characteristics of the labor market and the individual characteristics of unemployed workers. The structural resources are conceptualized in terms of (1) different types of reemployment, and (2) economic sectors. It turns out that the insertion of labor market structures into research on unemployment duration is quite valuable in improving our understanding of individual reemployment behavior. / The findings show that reemployment through job recalls is relatively easier than through job switches. Even though many unemployed workers remained to benefit from the structural buffer of internal labor markets in their struggle for reemployment, workers losing core-sector jobs are found to have more difficulty in switching to a new job relative to those losing peripheral jobs. The finding illustrates a critical weakness of internal labor markets in reallocating unemployed workers. / Furthermore, the impact of the labor market location of lost jobs is also observed in both the manner and the extent to which the individual attributes of unemployed workers affect the process of reemployment. (1) More education substantially improves the reemployment chances of workers losing core-services jobs, but not workers unemployed from other sectors. (2) The reemployment probability of workers losing core-services jobs is increased with an improvement in general education whereas the reemployment probabilities of workers losing core goods-production jobs tend to increase with an accumulation in firm-specific skills. (3) Men tend to maintain their reemployment advantage through their access to internal labor markets whereas women improve their reemployment probability by benefiting from job expansion in service industries. (4) Experienced core-service workers tend to have a shorter unemployment duration than young ones when their jobs are available for recall, whereas experienced peripheral goods production workers often have a competitive disadvantage in switching to a new job. And (5) UI benefits slow down the job-recall rate substantially but have little impact on the individual behavior of searching for a new job. The problem of timing termination of unemployment duration to coincide with exhaustion of UI benefits is much more severe for the job-recall rate than for the job-switch rate.

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No description available.

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of market power in the marketing chain of the broiler chicken, egg, and beef industries in Canada. The principal method of analysis tested for the existence of asymmetry. Supplementary testing included estimates of markup equations, means and coefficients of variation, elasticities of demand and price transmission, and correlation coefficients. / The findings give retailers market power in Montreal and Toronto for chicken, and in Toronto, Edmonton, and Winnipeg for beef. Vancouver retail prices for chicken and eggs were statistically independent of prices at the other levels. Processors dominated producers in the chicken markets of Montreal and Toronto, and the Winnipeg beef market. Producers showed possible dominance in the Montreal egg market. / Symmetry occurred most often in the beef and egg markets; which share the character of flat or declining consumer demand conditions. The ability to exercise market power may be determined by strong demand coupled with institutional price-responsiveness.

This study uses life cycle analysis to examine the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the activities of the peat industry in Canada for the period 1990 to 2000. GHG accounting is undertaken for (1) land use change, (2) peat extraction and processing, (3) the transport of peat to market by truck, train and ship, and (4) the in situ decomposition of extracted peat. The emission estimates were based on results from GHG accounting models using data derived from scientific literature, government and industry statistics, and the responses to a questionnaire sent to Canada's peat establishments. The questionnaire, designed to obtain information on peat extraction methods, land and fuel use, as well as the transportation of peat, had a response rate representing 69% of Canada's total peat production in the year 2000. Results indicate that 540 600 tonnes of greenhouse gases were emitted in 1990 and 893 300 tonnes were emitted in the year 2000 (emission figures are measured in CO2 equivalents using a 100-year time horizon). Peat decomposition was by far the largest source of GHG emissions, averaging 70.6% of total emissions during the eleven-year period from 1990 to 2000. Greenhouse gases from land use change averaged 14.7%. An average of 10.4% of total emissions resulted from the transport of peat to market, while GHGs from extraction and processing averaged 4.3%. Predictions of the annual GHG emissions from the peat industry, assuming a "business as usual" context, were produced for the years 2001 to 2012. These figures were compared with those resulting from various greenhouse gas reduction scenarios.

The goal of this study was to learn more about the experience of Canadian military fathers who participated in a fathers' support group entitled "With Dads Around, Kids Are Sound." An explorative, semi-structured, qualitative design was applied to gain understanding of the participants' perspectives. The sample consisted of seven military fathers. The researcher also interviewed three wives in an attempt to corroborate some of the findings. The two main reasons that brought fathers into the group were role conflict and wanting to prevent family problems. Based on comments received, the program was found to be effective in supporting military fathers. Key elements noted by participants include normalization, peer support, and learning ways to prevent dysfunctional family patterns. Recommendations to improve the program include making it a continuous opportunity---including a specific chapter on military lifestyle---and being more flexible with the content to allow for more peer support-type discussion. Implications for social work practice, policy, and research are also discussed.

Five immigrant single mothers were interviewed to explore the dynamics of the relationship between immigrant single mothers and their children when they reunite in Canada. Difficulties, in attachment, parenting, and the transition into the new culture were identified. Immigration policies about foreign domestic workers and delays in emigration process were factors that prolonged separation between mothers and their children. The mothers agreed that separation from their children contributed to the difficulties, but physical and psychological preparation before reunification lessened the challenge. Loving and listening to children, and involvement in the Christian mono-ethnic community churches were identified as effective coping strategies. Culturally sensitive approaches by social workers with these clients are recommended.