Agriculture in Canada Mr Kuhn

The Importance of Agriculture to Canada In 2014 Canada’s Agricultural sector generated over $108.1 billion accounting for 6.6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product Canada was the world's fifth-largest exporter of agriculture and agri-food products after the European Union, the United States, Brazil and China in 2014 Canada is the highest producer of Rape Seed (Canola) in the entire world Other large agricultural products in Canada include cattle, hogs, dairy, and grains

British Columbia Less than 3% of British Columbia is suitable for agriculture and food production British Columbia’s size, climate, and unique landscape have resulted in many small agricultural regions in the Province While the Interior of BC is a large producer of cattle the Fraser Valley produces a high number of berries, mushrooms and flowers due to the wet climate Moreover, the Okanagan is a major fruit and wine producer while the coast is a large producer of seafood and salmon The most important product of British Columbia's Agriculture are Beef, Salmon, Dairy, and Floriculture resulting in over $2 billion annually

Western Canada Of the land in Canada only about 7% of it is farmable. Of this land nearly 80% of it is found in Alberta (31%), Saskatchewan (38%), and Manitoba (11%) Alberta Second largest producer of Agriculture earning 22% of all Canada’s agricultural earnings The top crops in Alberta are wheat, barley, and canola. Alberta is responsible for 40% of all Canada cattle (beef) Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a massive producer of grains in Canada growing 56% of Canada’s grains and 51% of Canada’s Canola While Saskatchewan is flat, fertile, and hot, it is also very dry and requires irrigation in order to create high yields Manitoba The majority of farms in Manitoba are cattle farms followed by grain, canola, and wheat While the climate and landscape of lower Manitoba is much like the rest of the prairies, the North is part of the Canadian Shield and is very cold an rocky

Ontario Just as with British Columbia and the Western Provinces, Ontario’s agriculture varies significantly from South to North Conditions in the North lead to little agricultural activity occurring while the Southern regions climate is warmer and regulated by the Great Lakes and St Lawrence River These bodies of water have also led to fertile soils as well as irrigation in the Southern Region Ontario has a diversity of types of farming, with grain and oilseed farms being most common, followed by beef cattle production, dairy, other animal production and farms growing other crops Ontario is also unique as it has nearly 100% of all Canada’s Tobacco farms

Quebec Quebec is known as “Canada’s Milk Shed” as it produces 37% of Canada’s milk at an annual value of $2.19 Billion Beef, pork, and poultry produced by Quebec is worth over $3.5 Billion Grains, oil seeds, fruits, and maple products are also extremely valuable to Quebec making anywhere from $0.25 Billion to $2.7 Billion each annually Southern Quebec farming is heavily biased in the South due to warmer year round climate, fertile soil, and access to water While Quebec promoted farming in its North, most farmers headed home shortly after arriving describing it as “… seven months of snow, two months rain, and all the rest is black flies and mosquitoes.”

Maritimes Farmland covers 9% of the Maritimes eco-zone, most of it being to rough, rugged, or salty for traditional farming The most productive province in the Maritimes is Prince Edward Island which produces a high number of potatoes as well as grain and dairy New Brunswick’s farming is limited to the Saint John River Valley where it produces a high number of potatoes and livestock Nova Scotia has few fertile areas and focuses mainly on dairy and poultry aside from the Annapolis Valley where it is renowned for growing fruit

Northern Canada Northern Canada is unique amongst Canada as it has very little agriculture in comparison Due to extreme weather and landscape, very little can grow in Canada’s North and crops that can are done so at a high cost While the Yukon and Northwest Territories generate $10 million in agriculture annually, $8.8 million is spent on operating costs leading to an extremely low profit rate Popular agricultural crops in the Territories include oats, fruits, berries, and nuts Popular livestock in the area includes poultry, eggs, and turkey

Today in the Text… Agricultural Regions of the USA Wheat, Corn, and Cows Irrigation and Immigrants Red Dirt, Leaches, and Chickens Germans and Dairy (and Beer)