The decline of Manitoba's farm-based population parallels the
decrease in the number of the province's farms beginning in 1941.
Even more significant, however, is the increase in the size of
farms, in particular the land under cultivation. From the start
of the 20th Century up to the Second World War, cultivated land
grows in step with the number of farms. However, after 1941, it
continues to increase while the number of farms drops off drastically.
For instance, in 1901 approximately 32,000 farms each had, on
average, 111 hectares under cultivation, while in 2001 the same
figure, for only slightly more than 20,000, farms was 361 hectares
each. In short, there are now fewer farms in Manitoba than in
the past but the existing farms have never, on average, been bigger
and more productive.
Agricultural
Work : Production and Productivity
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