摘要：Canada's agri-food strategy is directed at expanding agricultural production and sales [1]. This apparently simple growth strategy is likely to accelerate sorne fundamental changes in the types of investment in, and production from, Canada's land base. Sorne of the increased production will be met by expanding the present area of land in crop use. However, strategies for expansion are likely to be hindered as the area available for crop use in the future diminishes. In future, the agricultural industry in Canada will have to accommodate both the demands for a higher level of production and an impending limit to its areal growth. A measure of the margin of land available for the further expansion of cropland area in Canada is needed. This measure will enable the size of the margin of potential cropland still available for crop use to be monitored. The size of the margin can provide an indication of the imminence of resource exhaustion, enabling agricultural planners to anticipate sorne of the possible effects.
