Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

• farms produce food and other products; every day, each of us consumes or uses something produced on farms
• there are approx. 280, 000 farms in Canada
• today, only 3% of Canadians live on farms; in 1930, Canada became more urban than rural (i.e. more than 50% of the population lived in cities)
• in 1900 one farmer could produce enough food to feed 7 - 10 people; today a Canadian farmer can feed 90 people or more due to more efficient production methods
• exports are very important to Canada since we export 40% to 50% of our gross agricultural produce
• major exports are grains, red meats and oilseeds
• major markets are USA, China, Japan and the former USSR
• major imports are fruits, vegetables and nuts
• Canada's food prices are among the lowest in the world
• more than 98% of all farms in Canada are family owned and operated.