Statistics on Agriculture

Statistics Canada collects data from every farm in Canada through the Census of Agriculture which is conducted every five years. Statistics Canada maintains records on most crops grown in Canada and livestock produced. The Whole Farm Data Base offers users access to a wider than ever range of disaggregated physical and financial data at the farm level by compiling data from various surveys and administrative sources. Statistics Canada also maintains national and provincial level data related to livestock and animal products.

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Census of Agriculture 
2. Spatial Analysis and Geomatics Applications
3. Crops Assessment
4. Whole Farm Database (WFBD)
5. Farm Income and Prices
6. Crops
7. Livestock and Animal Products

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1. Census of Agriculture

The Census of Agriculture collects a wide range of data on the agriculture industry, such as:

• number and type of agricultural operations;
• farm operator characteristics;
• business operating arrangements;
• land management practices;
• crop areas;
• numbers of livestock and poultry;
• farm business capital; and
• operating expenses and receipts including farm machinery and equipment.

These data provide a comprehensive picture of the agriculture industry across Canada every five years, at the national and provincial levels, as well as at lower levels of geography. In addition, the unique Agriculture-Population Linkage Database, which links data from both the Census of Population and Census of Agriculture, paints a socio-economic portrait not only of farm operators but also of their families and households.

All Data from the Census of Agriculture 2001 have been released. For more information, please visit the 2001 Census of Agriculture Web page from Statistics Canada's Web site.

Costs

These statistics are available from the online catalogue of products and services on Statistics Canada's Web site, on CD-ROM or as custom tabulations. Costs may be applicable in obtaining these statistics.

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2. Spatial Analysis and Geomatics Applications

The Spatial Analysis and Geomatics Applications (SAGA) provide users with a variety of products and services using the tools and methodologies of digital image analysis (remote sensing) and geographic information systems (GIS). The program includes operational agricultural and environmental applications, custom mapping, satellite image analysis and geomatics services.

Costs

These remote sensing and geostatistical products and services are available on a cost-recovery or fee-for-services basis. The online catalogue of products and services is available on Statistics Canada's Web site.

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3. Crops Assessment

Statistics Canada also offers integrated information for monitoring crop condition in the Prairie provinces on a weekly basis during the crop growing season (15 weeks). Topics included in these records are:

• field crops;
• grain marketing;
• horticulture;
• per capita food consumption;
• crop development;
• pasture development;
• comparison of crop conditions;
• normalized difference vegetation index; and
• climatic conditions.

Costs

These statistics are available as a custom request. Costs are applicable in obtaining these statistics. The online catalogue of products and services is available on Statistics Canada's Web site.

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4. Whole Farm Database (WFBD)

Users can obtain detailed information on:

• cropland acreages;
• livestock inventories;
• revenues and expenses;
• operator and farm family off-farm income;
• capital investment and sales
• assets and liabilities; and
• long-term capital borrowed.

Data are available by province and nationally, sub-provincial regions, farm type, type of organization, revenue class, degree of specialization. Although the WFDB can be used to produce estimates for selected domains regardless of the revenue level, the database is primarily structured to provide data for farms with reported revenues of $10 000 and over.

Costs

These statistics are available from the online catalogue of products and services on Statistics Canada's Web site, on CD-ROM, or as custom tabulations. Costs may be applicable in obtaining these statistics.

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5. Farm Income and Prices

The statistics on Farm Income and Prices involves the integration of a wide variety of physical and financial data from a range of internal and external government and private sources to produce financial accounts for the agriculture sector for use in the System of National Accounts and for many other users. The following annual estimates are published at the provincial level:

• net farm income;
• farm cash receipts by commodity;
• farm operating expenses by item and depreciation charges;
• direct program payments by program;
• value of farm capital by major component;
• farm debt outstanding by type of lender;
• farm product price index;
• farm business cash flow statement;
• value added account; and
• balance sheet of the agricultural sector.

Estimates on farm cash receipts by commodity and direct program payments by program are also published on a quarterly basis at the provincial level. Farm product prices and farm product index are disseminated monthly.

Costs

These statistics are available from the online catalogue of products and services on Statistics Canada's Web site or as custom tabulations. Costs may be applicable in obtaining these statistics.

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6. Crops

The statistical program surrounding the production of crops comprises several surveys of farm operators to estimate the production of field crops, vegetables, fruits, greenhouse and nursery products and honey and maple products. Complete supply-disposition analyses of the major field crops are also available.

Costs

These statistics are available from the online catalogue of products and services on Statistics Canada's Web site, on diskette, by fax, or as custom tabulations. Costs may be applicable in obtaining these statistics.

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7. Livestock/Food

Livestock statistics pertaining to inventories, supply/disposition, production and value of prices, per capita consumption and stocks for selected livestock and animal products are available. Topics included in these records are:

• inventories by class of animals for cattle, hogs and sheep;
• supply and disposition balance sheets for cattle, hogs and sheep;
• stocks of meat in cold storage;
• dairy products;
• fur;
• eggs;
• wool;
• meat production and per capita consumption for cattle, calves, hogs, sheep and lambs, offal, stewing hens and chicken, and turkey;
• aquaculture, value added along with production, value and exports.

Costs

These statistics are available from the online catalogue of products and services on Statistics Canada's Web site, on CD-ROM, by fax or as custom tabulations. Costs may be applicable in obtaining these statistics.

Quebec Contact(s):
Advisory Services
Statistical Reference Centre
Statistics Canada
4th Floor
East Tower, Guy Favreau Complex
200 René-Lévesque Boulevard West
Montréal, Quebec  H2Z 1X4
Fax: 1-877-287-4369
Toll-free (information): 1-800-263-1136
Toll-free (publications): 1-800-267-6677
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-363-7629
E-mail: infostats@statcan.ca
Web site: http://www.statcan.ca/start.html

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National Contact(s):
National Capital Region
Statistical Reference Centre
Statistics Canada
Room 1500
Main Building
Holland Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0T6
Fax: 1-877-287-4369
Toll-free (information): 1-800-263-1136
Toll-free (publications): 1-800-267-6677
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-363-7629
E-mail: infostats@statcan.ca
Web site: http://www.statcan.ca/start.html