The 2021 Census of Agriculture and Christmas tree production in Canada
In May 2021, farm operators will be asked to complete the 2021 Census of Agriculture questionnaire to help update Canada's agricultural profile.
Data from the census will provide farm operators, farm organizations, policy makers, stakeholders and citizens with relevant information about the Canadian agricultural sector, and will help them make informed decisions regarding agricultural investments and practices in Canada.
Stakeholders
The participation of Christmas tree producers in the Census of Agriculture is an important factor in obtaining new information at the local and national levels.
Accurate statistics give farm operators an understanding of past and present agricultural sector information and allow for well-informed responses to future farming challenges.
Policy makers
The Census of Agriculture is the backbone of Canada's agricultural statistics program. It identifies trends, opportunities and challenges within the agricultural sector. Questions cover topics such as land use, crops, livestock, agricultural labour, machinery and equipment, land management practices, and farm finances. The breadth and depth of the census content makes it the most definitive source of information on the agricultural sector. It provides a rich source of data on the realities of farming life in Canada.
Farm operators
In early May, farm operators will receive a letter with easy-to-follow instructions on how to complete the Census of Agriculture questionnaire online. This user-friendly option will save time by automatically adding totals and limiting the questions to those that apply to the operation. All agricultural operations in Canada are legally required to complete the census questionnaire, according to the Statistics Act. The questionnaire can be completed by anyone who is responsible for, or knowledgeable about, the day-to-day management decisions of the farming operation. The information provided will be kept strictly confidential and will be used only for statistical purposes as mandated by the same act.
This May, complete the Census of Agriculture questionnaire and be heard amongst Canada's Christmas tree producers!
Quick Christmas tree production facts from the 2016 Census of Agriculture
- There were 1,872 farms growing 58,780 acres of Christmas trees, a 21.4% decline from 2016. Quebec led the country with 20,398 acres, followed by Nova Scotia and Ontario (15,269 and 11,010 acres, respectively).
- The average size of farms that reported growing Christmas trees was 31 acres. The averages were highest in Quebec (59 acres), followed by Nova Scotia (48 acres) and New Brunswick (45 acres).
- There were 1,205 farms specializing in Christmas tree production (the majority of their farm receipts were from the sale of Christmas trees). Here are some facts about these farms:
- They occupied a total of 51,218 acres (87.1% of the total number in Canada).
- The largest 5% of all specialized Christmas tree farms made up almost one-half (45.2%) of the national total acreage.
- Among specialized Christmas tree farms, 66.6% were held in sole proprietorship, 18.7% were owned in partnerships, 12.2% were owned by family corporations and 2.6% were owned by non-family corporations.
- The average size of a specialized Christmas tree farm was 42.5 acres.
- There were 1,600 operators across Canada, and 73.8% were male.
- The average operator age was 59.6 years old.
- Of these operators, 69.6% were 55 years and older, 27.3% were 35 to 54 years old, and 3.1% were younger than 35.
- Fewer than half of the operators (49.5%) did not work anywhere other than on the farm, while 19.1% worked more than 40 hours per week at another job in addition to their farming duties.
For more information, please visit Statistics Canada—Census of Agriculture.
- Date modified: