Total farm area decreased 0.9% from 160.2 million acres in 2011 to 158.7 million acres in 2016. Shifts in tenure were responsible for some of this decline, as rental agreements tend to cover only productive land. The area of cropland increased as farmers cleared, drained and upgraded marginal lands to support crop production, shifted practices to reduce the need for summerfallow, and returned land which had been flooded in 2011 back into production. While cropland grew, woodlands and wetlands as well as pasture decreased. Farm size varied considerably based on region and farm type. The largest operations on average were found in Saskatchewan (1,784 acres), while the smallest on average were…

Oilseed and grain-type farms remain the most common type of farm, increasing from 30.0% in 2011 to 32.9% in 2016 (Chart 3). In the Prairie provinces, 46.3% of farms fell into this farm type. Beef-type farms remain the second most common farm type, accounting for 18.6% of agricultural operations, up slightly from 18.2% in 2011. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170510/dq170510a-eng.htm

The transfer of agricultural assets as farmers transition out of the sector can happen in a number of ways. Farm assets can be sold in whole or in part and the buyer can be a new entrant or someone looking to expand their existing operation. Farm operations can also be transferred to other parties via a will or written succession plan. In 2016, 8.4% of farms nationally reported having a written succession plan. Among sole proprietorships, 4.9% had a written succession plan compared with 16.3% of family and non-family corporations. Just over half (51.7%) of all Canadian farms were sole proprietorships in 2016. Partnerships accounted…

The 2016 Census of Agriculture counted 271,935 farm operators on agricultural operations, down from 293,925 in 2011. Farm operators under 35 years of age accounted for an increasing share of total operators and their absolute numbers also rose—from 24,120 in 2011 to 24,850 in 2016. This was the first absolute increase in this category of operators since 1991. However, the fastest growing age group was farm operators aged 55 years and older (Table 1). The average age of operators—individuals who make management decisions for the agricultural enterprise—edged up from 54.0 years in 2011 to 55.0 years in 2016. This trend parallels the ageing of the general population. Among Canadians aged 15 to 64, the share of people aged 55 to 64 years old (all baby boomers) reached a record high 21.0% in 2016 (Statistics Canada. 2017. Recent trends…

The results of the 2016 Census of Agriculture show that the agriculture industry continues to consolidate. There were 193,492 farms counted in 2016, down 5.9% from the previous census in 2011. However, this was the lowest rate of decline in 20 years. While farm numbers have declined, the average area per farm increased from 779 acres in 2011 to an average of 820 acres in 2016. The area dedicated to cropland rose 6.9% from 2011 to 93.4 million acres (Chart 2) in 2016, as land that was flooded during the 2011 Census was brought back into production, use of summerfallow decreased and marginal land was converted into productive cropland. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170510/dq170510a-eng.htm

Total number of farms: Census of Agriculture — Canada 193,492 -5.9% (period-to-period change) Source(s): CANSIM table 004-0201. Farm operators are slightly older and there are fewer farms in Canada than in 2011, but farms are on average larger and more area is devoted to crop production according to the results from the 2016 Census of Agriculture. Over the next six weeks, articles digging deeper into different aspects of Canadian agriculture will be published with further analysis of census results. Total farm area: Census of Agriculture — Canada 158.7 million acres -0.9% (period-to-period change) Source(s): CANSIM table 004-0204. Agricultural data has been collected in Canada since 1666 and 2016 marks the 22nd…

SharePrint Since peaking with a 22.1% year-over-year increase in 2013, annual gains in Canadian farmland values have slowed for three consecutive years. But Farm Credit Canada Chief Economist J.P. Gervais isn’t worried about those slowing gains turning into actual declines, as long farm income can hold up. And in a webinar Tuesday, he said he remains confident Canadian farm income can do just that, even in the wake of swelling global grain supplies and generally lower commodity prices. “The key (for farmland values) moving forward is, are we going to be able to sustain farm income? And I have every…

Original Content posted from: https://www.discoverwestman.com/local/new-feed-mill-brings-promise-of-20-jobs-to-westman-commu The mayor of Killarney-Turtle Mountain is excited about the prospect of 20 new jobs coming to his community. HyLife has applied for a conditional use permit to build a new feed mill just northeast of Killarney. “The hearing is coming up on April 19th and if it passes we are looking forward to a long standing working relationship again with HyLife” said Mayor Rick Pauls. Pauls says attracting that many jobs to a small scale community is a hard thing to do and the fact they have someone willing to invest that much into the…

THE AGENCY HOLDS CLOSE TO A THIRD OF ALL FARM DEBT IN CANADA  By Alex Binkley Contributor Published: March 20, 2017 National farm debt could reach as high as $100 billion once all the figures for 2016 are in, but Mike Hoffort, CEO of Farm Credit Canada, says farmers are generally in a good financial situation. “Canadian agriculture is strong and stable,” he told the annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. However, farmers need to keep their pencils sharp and continued diligence is required. FCC holds more than $30 billion of that debt and the federal agency is…