Review of Other Crops
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Review of Other Crops
Agricultural businesses in Canada are producing crops which are in tandem with the consumer needs of healthy lifestyles. Therefore, this study reports that Canada’s food producers are focusing on a variety of agricultural products referred to as “other crops” to satisfy consumers. A study named “Innovation and healthy living propel growth in certain other crops,” digs into the subject by carrying out statistical analysis involving the other crops. Research from various scholars indicate that the typical field crops include wheat, barley, apples, sweet corn, plums, and tomatoes, among others. On the other hand, agricultural products including blackberries, herbs, melons, currants, and hazelnuts fall under the “other crops” category that is high in demand. Therefore, the purpose of the article by Mathew Shumsky is to explore the “other crops” and agricultural products and how they have developed over the 2011 to 2016 period. Therefore, this study’s purpose.
The variables used in the report article include area total which represent the amount of the land resource put into farm use. The variable is measured in acres. The second variable employed in the study is Year. It represents the year in which the crops have been grown. The variable allows for comparisons of farming activities between two different years. Additionally, other field crop, other fruit crop, and other vegetable crop are among the primary variables in the study as they represent the different kinds of agricultural products being preferred by Canadians. The provinces variable represent different locations in which various crops are grown in Canada. Lastly, the direct marketing variable displayed the participation ratings of different crops on the direct marketing activities.
The dataset used in the study contained data that was collected over a period of five years from 2011 to 2016 by the census of Agriculture survey program. The survey is conducted by statistics Canada to develop an outlook of farms in Canada and the agricultural operators in the country. The target population of the survey was all the census farms in Canada. This implies that no sampling took place since the census of Agriculture 2016 was designed to get complete data from all farms in the country. The sample survey employed a cross-sectional design method to study the different patterns and trends in the field of agriculture over a period of five years. Various workshops were held across different provinces in Canada in 2012 with members including federal departments, agricultural organizations, and academic service providers to come up with questions that were used in the design of the official survey questionnaire.
Data was collected directly from respondents participating in the survey through filling of questionnaires after receiving invitation letters that were sent through the post. The filled forms were then mailed back to the center of data operations for processing procedures. Survey participants had the option of filling and submitting the questionnaires through the internet. Follow up activities such as phone calls were conducted whenever there were situations of missing data. Edits were used for microdata during the collection process to identify errors resulting from both data inconsistencies and reporting mistakes. The assessment on data quality during the validation process was handed over to the certification committee of the Census Agriculture for approval.
The study presents its data analysis results in both graphical displays and tables containing summary statistics. The article presents a bar chart showing the results of the production of other field crops including spelt, quinoa, hops, fenugreek, and camelina between 2011 and 2016. The graph below shows the distribution of production among the crops. The study reports that in the period from 2011 to 2016, Hemp is the highest produced other field crop in Canada. The crop area increased from 25937 acres in 2011 to 45,245 acres in 2016. Hops is reported to be the least crop produced in the category. Similarly, the article presents another statistical bar chart to present the data on the other fruit crop. Heskap and other berries are reported to be the highest produced fruit crops in the survey period, whereas
Tables are also employed to provide the data on different areas of the study. A table is presented to show summary statistics of the other crops and the direct marketing participation. According to the study, at least four in every five fruit and vegetable farms employ the direct marketing approach. Farms reporting Gooseberries had the highest direct marketing participation rating of 77.8. A table is also employed to show the provincial breakdown of the total acreage of the other crops. The study reports that some crops such as garlic are produced in different provinces in varying amounts. However, Ontario had the largest area producing the crop. Elsewhere, a table is also used to show the export analysis of different crops from 2011 to 2016. The tables below are used presented in the study.
The study failed to present summary statistics between the production levels of the other field crops against time. However, the study conducted a descriptive analysis between the variables by raising comparisons between the crops by the direct marketing rating, province, and the export analysis. A correlational between the levels of production of the other crops against time would have favored the study by enabling a prediction of the individual crop produced in a future year. The scope of the research can be expanded by focusing on the economic returns of producing the other crops that are believed to have health benefits to consumers. The question that arises is that, are the other crops more economically viable than the typical crops grown. A comparison of means analysis test such as a t-test can be employed to determine the varying financial returns of the two categories of crops.
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