Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Family Farm Values

If you have ever visited a local farm operation to pick fruit or buy fresh bread or meat, you know how friendly and welcoming farmers can be. This is because over 98% of Canadian farms are family owned and operated and farmers want to share what they produce with their neighbours.

In Ontario, just 1.6% of the province’s entire population is made up of farmers, even though we all benefit from the fruits of their labours (literally!).

There are about 230,000 farms in Canada, a number that continues to decrease every year. However, demand for food and other agriculture products is not slowing, so farmers need to find ways to increase production and make the most of their land. The average size of a Canadian farm increased from 676 acres in 2001 to 728 acres in 2006. That's the same as 361 football fields!

Fewer young people are taking over their family operations as they did in the past, leaving more work to fewer farmers –their parents. The average Canadian farmer is 52 years old.

Among the younger farm population, more operators are earning post-secondary education than ever before. In 2001, almost 38% of male farm operators and 46% of female farm operators had a post-secondary education.

Visit www.growourfarms.ca

Rating:
  • Currently 5/5 stars.

Views: 112

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Fuel Tax Suspension Offers Timely Relief for Canadian Farmers Ahead of Peak Growing Season

The federal fuel tax suspension is expected to lower diesel costs for farmers at a critical time in the growing season, easing pressure on already-tight margins.

Operating farm equipment in Ontario

Operators must be at least 16 years old to drive on public roads

Draft Beef Cattle Code of Practice Released for Public Comment

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) and Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) are pleased to announce the launch of the public comment period for the draft Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle. The public comment period allows stakeholders—including producers, consumers, and others with an interest in the welfare of beef cattle—to review the draft Code and provide input that will inform the final version, recognizing that perspectives and experiences across Canada, can differ. The draft Code and the public comment system are now accessible here. All comments must be submitted through the online system to ensure feedback is consistently reviewed. The public comment period will close on June 12, 2026. Following the close of the comment period, the Code Committee will review and consider the submitted feedback, and the final beef cattle Code of Practice will be released in 2027. A Scientific Committee report summarizing research conclusions on welfare-relate

Map: Further Improvement in Prairie Dryness, Drought in March

With the start of widespread spring seeding just around the corner, Prairie moisture conditions are continuing to improve. The latest monthly update of the Canadian drought monitor on Monday showed just 21% of Prairie agricultural lands impacted by abnormal dryness or some form of drought as of the end of March. That’s down sharply from 47% at the end of February and continues a downtrend from last fall, when farmland impacted by dryness or drought hit 71% in November. Most of the Prairies experienced near to above-normal March precipitation in March, with much of region receiving between 85% and 150% of normal, with some localized areas exceeding 200% of normal due to multiple winter storms, the monitor said. However, other areas were not as lucky, including southern Alberta, which saw only about 60% of normal. In Alberta, conditions generally improved, especially across central parts of the province where abnormal dryness and moderate drought receded after widespread precipitat

U.S. Midwest Better Positioned on Fertilizer, but Rising Costs Still Squeeze

Farmers in the American Midwest entered the 2026 planting season somewhat better positioned than peers elsewhere in the U.S. to manage the recent surge in fertilizer costs, but a new survey suggests many are still feeling significant strain as volatility tied to the Middle East conflict ripples through agricultural input markets.   An American Farm Bureau Federation market intel article on Tuesday said the bureau’s Fertilizer Availability Survey - conducted from April 4 to April 11 and drawing responses from more than 5,700 farmers and ranchers - found the Midwest had the highest fertilizer pre-booking rate in the country. About 67% of Midwestern producers reported securing fertilizer earlier in the season, reflecting the region’s heavy reliance on corn and soybean rotations, where nutrient needs are large and purchases are often made well ahead of planting.   That early buying helped shield many Midwest growers from the sharpest recent price increases. Even so, nearly one in three M

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service