Land
Most of the land in Canada suited to agriculture is already in production. Although the total amount of farmland is relatively constant, important changes have occurred within the agricultural land base, such as reductions in summerfallow area, shifts in cropping patterns, more intensive production in some areas, and conversion of prime farmland to non-agricultural uses.
Agricultural land is a finite resource and it must be used in ways that provide sustainable benefits. AAFC is developing the capacity to assess the current state of the land and water resources across Canada through the use of Geographic Information Systems. The Geospatial products provide access to land and water information, analysis and interpretation to make better agricultural management decisions.
Land Management through Grazing
There are over 21 million hectares (over 52 million acres) of agricultural land in Canada used primarily for grazing livestock. Over 15 million hectares of that pasture land is in natural vegetation. Proper management of these lands ensures their continued productivity and their continued contribution to healthy agricultural landscapes.
Riparian
Areas bordering water bodies whose vegetation is dominated by water loving species. Riparian zones play a vital role in soil conservation, biodiversity conservation and influence aquatic health.
Silvopasture
The word silvopasture comes from combining silviculture (production of high quality trees) with pasture (hay or livestock production). Merging these two concepts results in an intensive and integrated domestic animal, tree/tree products, and forage production system.