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Characteristics of Canada's Diverse Farm Sector

Abstract

Much of the research in the past on farm structure and economic well-being focused almost exclusively on farms based on their size, their contribution to total agricultural production, or national net farm income. These aggregate measures do not by themselves adequately explain how well the farm is functioning. Confidence in highly aggregated measures of financial performance in agriculture needs to be tempered with an understanding of the diversity that exists within the farm sector.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) developed a farm typology, to better explain why particular groups respond differently.

The AAFC typology classifies farms into more homogeneous groups based on five factors:

References

Agricultural Income and Finance, Situation and Outlook Report. ERS-USDA, AIS-69, Sept, 1998.

McCarthy, M., D. Niekamp, K. O'Connor, A. Piau and M. Zafiriou. ";Vulnerable Farms and Adequacy of NISA." Report submitted to Future Safety Net Needs Committee, November 1998.

Niekamp, D., C. Jerome et al. "A New Approach to Examining Canada's Diverse Farm Sector, Characteristics of Canada's Farm Typology Groups." Forthcoming.

Niekamp, D. and M. Zafiriou. "Factors that Influence Farm Business Behaviour." VISTA. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, Catalogue 21-004-XPB, Sept. 2000.

Offutt, S. "What Does Farm Structure Imply for Future Farm Policy? Agricultural Outlook Forum 2001," ERS-USDA, presented Feb 2001.

Perry J. et al, "Status Report, Small Farms in the U.S." Agricultural Outlook. ERS-USDA, May 1998, pp. 22-26.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Agricultural Income and Finance: Situation and Outlook Report. Pub. No. AIS-71. Washington, DC: USDA/ERS. Feb. 1999.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Agricultural Income and Finance: Situation and Outlook Report. Pub. No. AIS-74. Washington, DC: USDA/ERS. Feb. 2001.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. America's Diverse Family Farms, Assorted Sizes, Types, and Situations. Agriculture Information Bulletin Number 769, Washington, DC: USDA/ERS. May 2001.

Zafiriou, M., D. Culver and D. Niekamp, "Canadian Agricultural Safety Net Programs and Pressures for Change, Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 49, No. 4, Dec. 2001.

Zafiriou, M., P. Aubin, R. Fiarchuk, D. Niekamp, K. O'Connor, C. Perreault, A. Piau. "Beneficiaries of Safety Nets." Report presented June 1999.

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For more information on this publication, please e-mail: Econ_Research@agr.gc.ca.

Publication: 2109B • ISSN: 1499-8674
Catalogue: A22-243/2002 • Project: 01-117-b