Page "Economy of Alberta" Paragraph 5

Agriculture has the been a key industry since the 1870s.

The climate is dry, temperate, and continental, with extreme variations between seasons.

Productive soils are found in most of the southern half of the province ( excluding the mountains ), and in certain parts of the north.

Agriculture on a large scale is practiced further north in Alberta that anywhere else in North America, extending into the Peace River country above the 55th parallel north.

Generally, however, northern Alberta ( and areas along the Alberta Rockies ) is forested land and logging is more important than agriculture there.

Agriculture is divided into primarily field crops in the east, livestock in the west, and a mixture in between and in the parkland belt in the near north.