Agricultural Producer Adaptation to Climate Change in Saskatchewan, Canada: Size Matters—but Most Importantly Cash Flow

An ethnographic study employing 72 qualitative interviews with agricultural producers and associated water decision-makers concerning farm climate change adaptation in Saskatchewan, Canada concludes that farm size matters. Inductively we established a distinction of 2025 hectares as the differentiation between small and large agricultural farms; very small farms (less than 810 hectares) and one very large farm (51,030 hectares) were most vulnerable. Our research deviates from prior research that has concluded either large or small farms are more adaptive. In Saskatchewan, large farms mitigate climate impact risk of drought or flood over a bigger area, and have institutional and financial capacity to undertake adaptations. However, small farmers embrace more adaptation through environmental farm practices. Unlike other areas of the world where farms are becoming smaller and fragmenting, the trend is toward larger farms. Farmers thought of their farms as businesses; however, their multi-generational connection to the land was strong, and the concept of sustainability was rejected as farmers wanted to leave the land in a better state for future generations. The most important adaptive strategy identified, regardless of size, was ensuring the financial health of a farm through cashflow and the ability to pay expenses and debt.