Did You Know?
Canada's Farm Show Regina, SK Presented by Bunge
Did You Know – Saskatchewan Went From Unfarmable to Feeding the World
Saskatchewan is widely known today as the “Breadbasket of Canada,” recognized around the world for its vast farmland and the crops it sends far beyond our borders. But this reputation wasn’t always guaranteed—and for a time, the future of agriculture on the Canadian Prairies was in doubt.
In the late 1800s, a large portion of the Prairies was labeled Palliser’s Triangle, named after British explorer John Palliser. The region stretched from Edmonton south to the 49th Parallel, east toward Winnipeg, and back northwest to Edmonton. Palliser believed only the outer edges of this triangle were suitable for farming and settlement.
The inner portion—stretching from Lethbridge through southern Saskatchewan toward Regina and north to Consort, Alberta—was described in his reports as “more or less arid.” Palliser noted dry conditions, sandy soil, and limited rainfall, concluding the land was unsuitable for crops and only marginally acceptable for livestock grazing, calling it “forever comparatively useless” for agriculture.
Just a few years later, explorers John Macoun and Sanford Fleming visited the same area under very different conditions. Experiencing an unusually wet cycle, their report was part of the genesis that encouraged western expansion and agricultural development across what is now southern Saskatchewan.
As history would show, both perspectives captured only part of the truth. Palliser’s Triangle is a region defined by extremes—capable of exceptional agricultural production, but also vulnerable to drought and challenging growing seasons.
What helped shape the change from ‘useless’ to ‘breadbasket’ was innovation, collaboration, and education—the same three pillars that define Canada’s Farm Show Regina, SK (CFS) today.
Over generations, Saskatchewan farmers adapted to dryland conditions through better crop varieties, improved soil management, and advancing technology. Crops like canola and wheat were refined to thrive in Prairie conditions, transforming the region into one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world.
For more than 40 years, Canada’s Farm Show Regina has reflected this journey. Held annually in Regina at the REAL District, CFS brings together producers, innovators, and ag leaders from across Canada and around the world. The show celebrates the same resilience and forward thinking that turned Palliser’s Triangle into a global food-producing powerhouse.
Today, Palliser’s Triangle produces world-class canola, wheat, and other crops that feed international markets. What was once doubted has become essential—not just to Saskatchewan, but to Canada’s role in global agriculture.
From early exploration to modern farm technology, the land has proven that with the right tools, knowledge, and determination, Saskatchewan truly has earned its place as the Breadbasket of Canada.
