Changes in Agricultural Regions of Southern Ontario in Canada

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  • Environment, Resource & Tourism School, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China

Received date: 2011-01-15

  Revised date: 2011-05-10

  Online published: 2011-08-20

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40871069; Science and Technology Planning Project of Beijing Municipal Education Commission, No.11530453705

Abstract

In this paper we analyzed changes in agricultural regions of southern Ontario in Canada from 1999 to 2009 based on fieldwork of beef cattle, dairies, hogs, grain corns, tobaccos and fruits for farms along with statistical data to fully understand the structure of this regional change. The results of the survey lead to the following conclusions. First of all, as the farms of southern Ontario are highly mechanized and commercialized, agriculture of southern Ontario is commonly organized in a traditionally mixed farming system. Along with urban development, part time farmers occupied an increasing proportion among all farmers. Earnings from works outside farms become very important for many farmers nowadays. Reasons for this change in agriculture of southern Ontario is concluded as a result of improving the breed of domestic animals and strains of grains, developing the infrastructure of rural regions and industrialized agriculture, subsidizing agriculture by states, globalizing international trade of agricultural products. In addition, the difference of agricultural products in different regions of southern Ontario is due to the difference in natural conditions and process in development, influence of urbanization, also the factors in political and economic environment under international trade. These factors are considered as the major effects for agricultural region divisions.

Cite this article

WANG Pengfei, SHEN Yuming . Changes in Agricultural Regions of Southern Ontario in Canada[J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2011 , 66(8) : 1122 -1230 . DOI: 10.11821/xb201108011

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