摘要：The economic restructuring of the Prairies that has characterized the latter part of this century, is nowhere more apparent than in the decline of the agriculture sector. Even during periods of increasing value of agricultural production, the farm population has been steadily declining in absolute terms (Stabler and Olfert 1992). Labour-saving technological change, together with incomeinelastic world demand for cereals, a relatively fixed quantity of land resource, and the competitive market in which agricultural output is sold, have all contributed to a reduction in farm labour requirements. Of course, the absolute decrease in agriculture employment that is occurring at the same time other sectors are expanding, translates into a substantial reduction in the relative importance of agriculture. In addition to the traditional adjustment through exit, a partial adjustment of labour has recently appeared. That is, farm operators and members of farm families participate in the non-farm labour market while continuing their farm production.
