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

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

Investing in Alberta’s future vets

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Province Celebrates International Year of the Woman Farmer

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Beef and dairy producers appear to be surrounded by weather forecasters

Map: February Precipitation Reduces Prairie Dryness, Drought

February brought notable dryness and drought relief across the Prairies, although localized areas continue to suffer. The latest monthly update of the Canadian Drought Monitor shows 47% of Prairie agricultural lands were being impacted by abnormal dryness or some form of drought as of the end of last month. That is down from 62% in both January and December, and 71% in November. Most of the Prairie Region experienced above-normal precipitation during February, with large portions of the region receiving 115% to more than 200% of normal. In contrast, southern Alberta and parts of southwestern Saskatchewan remained comparatively dry, with precipitation totals below 85% of normal and localized pockets receiving less than 60%. Snow cover was initially reduced during early February due to warm, dry conditions, but late-month winter storms increased snowfall across much of the region, bringing totals back to near or above normal in many areas. Although winter precipitation through the

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