Ken may correct me, but I think in the Canadian prairie, cattle have
been more profitable than crop agriculture, particularly grains and
oilseeds. The strongest sector has been pork I believe.
The main reason for rural depopulation in Canada has been the
development of capital intensive, land extensive agriculture. The
minimum size of economic farm for grains is now up in the multiple
sections and with combines now in excess of $100,000, both the
ability and need to spread the cost over huge tracks of land are
great. This has also been encouraged by the growth of huge
throughput elevators which are replacing multiple old type elevators
which were the core of small-towns in the economic development of
the prairies. When the elevator goes, the town goes. This has, of
course, been encouraged by the growth of trucking, roads, etc.
subsidized by the public, at the cost of railroads.
Also, at least in Manitoba, the closure of all (beef) meat
packing plants and kill operations and their concentration in Alberta
has encouraged the move out of cattle and into hogs.
Paul Phillips
Economics,
University of Manitoba
Date sent: Sun, 22 Apr 2001 20:47:50 -0700
From: Michael Perelman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [PEN-L:10543] Re: Great Plains Depopulation
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Cattle ranching is not doing too well. Not only the imports of meat from the rain
>forests, but meat processing industry is increasing centralized. More
> important: People can earn higher salaries in the cities. You can find a few high
>rent locations -- Jackson Hole, where Ian hangs out. A few celebs buy
> places there -- Robert Redford, but people are moving out. Even Gateway left for
>San Diego, but then I think that they are not doing too well.
>
> Tim Bousquet wrote:
>
> > Interesting article in the SF Chronicle today about
> > the depopulation of the great plains at
> >
>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/04/22/MN39309.DTL
> >
> > What's the economics behind this? Is it simply the
> > globalization of the cattle trade, or is there more to
> > it? Much the same situation exists with cattle ranches
> > in my part of the world...
> >
> > Tim
> >
> > =====
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> --
>
> Michael Perelman
> Economics Department
> California State University
> Chico, CA 95929
>
> Tel. 530-898-5321
> E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
