Canada’s flock reaches 145.5 million birds

May 10, 2017, Ottawa, Ont. – Statistics Canada released the 2016 Census of Agriculture today, providing an overview of each agriculture sector in Canada.

The number of farms reporting hens and chickens increased 15.8 per cent from 2011 to 23,910 in 2016. The number of birds rose from 133.0 million to 145.5 million.

According to the Census, one in eight farms, or 12.7 per cent, sell food directly to consumers, with 96.1 per cent of products being unprocessed products, such as eggs and fruit.

Overall, farm profits are unchanged since 2010 and farms were as profitable in 2015 at the national level as they were in 2010. The gross farm receipts totaled $69.4 billion in 2015, with primary agriculture accounting for 1.5 per cent of the national gross domestic product in 2013.

Agriculture goods accounted for 2.2 per cent of Canada’s total imports and 4.6 per cent of total exports.

The Census reports that 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 being devoted to crop production.

Farm size varied considerably based on region and farm type. The largest operation on average were found in Saskatchewan (1,784 acres), while the smallest on average were located in Newfoundland and Labrador (174 acres).

The value of land and buildings used by agricultural operations increased 37.5 per cent, from $311.2 billion in 2011 to $427.9 billion in 2016.

For more information or to view the entire Census of Agriculture, visit: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170510/dq170510a-eng.htm