The 2021 Census of Agriculture and turkey farming 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 turkey farmers 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 turkey farmers!

Quick turkey farming facts from the 2016 Census of Agriculture

• In 2016, there were just over 8.4 million turkeys on 2,690 farms across Canada. Ontario farms reported 44.8% of the turkeys in Canada, followed by Quebec farms, with 19.6%.
  • View a map of the Turkey production by census division (CD), 2015, Canada.
  • View a map of the Change in turkey production by census division (CD) from 2010 to 2015, Canada.
• The average flock size for farms raising turkeys was 3,132 birds. Average flock sizes were as high as 5,351 birds (Quebec), 5,100 birds (Manitoba) and 4,433 birds (Ontario).
• There were 294 farms specializing in turkey farming (the majority of their farm receipts were from the sale of turkeys). Here are some facts about these farms:
  • Over half of all turkeys were raised on specialized turkey farms (4.9 million birds).
  • The largest 5% of all specialized turkey farms raised 17.4% of all Canadian turkeys.
  • Among specialized turkey farms, 56.1% were owned by family corporations, 21.4% were held in sole proprietorship, 17.0% were owned in partnerships and 5.4% were owned by non-family corporations.
  • There were 420 operators across Canada, and 73.3% were male.
  • The average operator age was 50.9 years old.
  • Among operators, 40.4% were 35 to 54 years old, 44.1% were 55 years and older, and 15.5% were younger than 35.
  • Six out of 10 (60.9%) operators did not work anywhere other than on the farm, while 14.5% 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.