Productivity of agricultural resources on farms of Western Manitoba

Abstract

This study was based on the record analysis of 314 observations of farms in the Neepawa-Minnedosa-Hamiota-Miniota area of Western Manitoba. These 314 farms were stratified into three categories: (1) small, medium and large farms of capital less than $60,000, $60,000 to $80,000 and more than $80,000. Each size contains, 98, 168 and 48 farms respectively; (2) crop and mixed farms with crop production 80 percent or more and crop production less that 80 percent. Fifty-nine and 255 farms were included in each type of farming; (3) farms of 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964 with 79, 77, 81 and 77 farms falling in each of the years respectively. It was the general objective of the present study to determine the productivity of resources on these 314 farms and to identify problems of resource allocation, to make a comparison of the productivity of resources on crop and mixed farms, and to evaluate the shifts of farm production during the period from 1961 to 1964... It appeared from the analysis that a surplus of labor and a shortage of capital might generally exist in the studied area. The efficiency of capital might be improved annually from 1961 to 1964 due to such influences of weather conditions, changes in quality of resources including management and the impact of general economic conditions.