Statistics Canada’s latest Census of Agriculture for Canada is a comprehensive collection of data that updates the portrait of the country’s agricultural sector. Austin Leitch, research analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) looks at the key highlights for farm types in Alberta.
Statistics Canada defines a census farm as an agricultural operation that produces at least one of the following products intended for sale: crops, livestock, poultry, animal products or other agricultural products, such as Christmas trees, greenhouse or nursery products, honey and others.
“Alberta had over 40,600 census farms in 2016, a 6.0 per cent decline from 2011. Despite the decline the province continued to rank second nationally, behind Ontario,” he said.
“Nationally, farm numbers fell almost 6.0 per cent to just over 193,000. Farm numbers were down for all provinces. Alberta continued to account for 21.0 per cent of farms in Canada.”
In 2016, Alberta led the nation in cattle ranching farms in Canada with over 12,600 farms, up 1.5 per cent from 2011, and over 26.0 per cent of the national total.
“Alberta represents over 34.0 per cent of Canada’s beef cattle ranching farms, up from just over 32.0 per cent in 2011. Dairy cattle farms fell about 15.0 per cent from 2011 to about 400 farms in 2016,” he said.
While farms reporting horse and other equine production fell 20.5 per cent to just over 3,100 farms in 2016, Alberta remained the highest reporting province.
In 2016, poultry and egg production farms increased by 10.0 per cent to 373 farms, says Leitch.
“This increase was primarily caused by a 35.0 per cent increase of chicken egg producing farms to 173 farms,” he said.
Alberta reported 166 hog and pig farms in 2016, down 14.0 per cent from 2011. The number of sheep and goat farms also fell just over 19.0 per cent, to almost 400 in 2016.
As for Alberta crop farms by type, the number of oilseed and grain farms increased 6.0 per cent in 2016 to just under 13,500 farms, up from about 12,700 farms in 2011.
“Oilseed and grain farms have been on the rise since 2006,” he said. “Those continued to represent the highest proportion of farms in Alberta.” Alberta has the third most oilseed and grain farms in Canada, behind Saskatchewan and Ontario.
Alberta reported almost 2,900 wheat farms in 2016, about a 39.0 per cent increase from 2011.
“Alberta continued to record the second highest amount of wheat farms in Canada, behind Saskatchewan,” he said. “However, Alberta’s oilseed, excluding soybean farms decreased almost 29.0 per cent to about 3,700 farms.”
Dry pea and bean farms recorded the largest increase of over 259.0 per cent from 2011 to 2016, with 582 farms. Alberta hay farms decreased almost 22.0 per cent in 2016, from just under 7,800 farms in 2011 to almost 6,100 farms in 2016.
In 2016, Alberta recorded almost 300 vegetable and melon farms, just under 8.0 per cent increase from 2011. Potato farms decreased about 16.0 per cent in 2016, but other vegetable and melon farms increased almost 36.0 per cent.
- Alberta Agriculture
