Variable set Variable Name Definition Unit of measurement Source of data Dependent variable   Wheat   % of total area under wheat in a given CD Statistics Canada (2013b); Sask. Ministry of Ag. (2012); UofS Library (Undated)   Canola   % of total area under canola in a given CD   Pulses   % of total area under pulses in a given CD   Feed   % of total area under feed crops in a given CD   Specialty Oilseeds   % of total area under Spec. Oilseeds in a given CD   Forages   % of total area under forages in a given CD   Summerfallow   % of total area under summerfallow in a given CD Independent variables     Climatic JT January temperature °C Environment Canada (2013)   AT April temperature °C   JuT July temperature °C   OT October temperature °C   JP January precipitation mm   AP April precipitation mm   JuP precipitation mm   Op precipitation mm Economic Ibeef On-farm beef inventory Number of head of all cattle and calves Statistics Canada (2013b); Sask. Ministry of Ag. (2013); UofS Library (undated)   Ipg On-farm pig inventory Number of head of market and bred pigs, gills and boars   PWG Monthly average price of wheat group $CAD t-1   PCG Monthly average price of canola group $CAD t-1   PPG Monthly average price of pulses group $CAD t-1   PFG Monthly average price of feed crops group $CAD t-1   PSG Monthly average price of specialty oilseed group $CAD t-1   PTH Monthly average price of tame hay group $CAD t-1 Policy DCN Binary variable for abolishment of Crowsnest pass Agreement rates = 1 for years 1980-1983 = 0 Otherwise --   DOATS Binary variable for withdrawal of oats from CWB = 1 for years 1980-1989 = 0 Otherwise --   DPCP Binary variable for introduction of PCP = 1 for years 1989-1992 = 0 Otherwise -- Spatial DDBSZ Binary variable for Dark Brown soil zone = 1 if the crop district is in dark brown soil zone = 0 Otherwise --   DBRSZ Binary variable for Brown soil zone = 1 if the crop district is in dark brown soil zone = 0 Otherwise --

Table 2: Variable definition, measurement and sources.