1. The Agriculture and Agri-Food System in Canada
Presentation to the
Joint UNECE / EUROSTAT / FAO / OECD Meeting on
Food and Agricultural Statistics in Europe
June 29 – July 1, 2005, Rome
Denis Chartrand
Agriculture Division
Statistics Canada
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
It is pleasure to present to you some key features of Prince Edward Island agriculture.
I will show some information on the structure and trends in PEI agriculture which you will have seen before – and which you will certainly be able to explain better than I can.
BUT, I will also try to present some new information that perhaps you have not seen before.
However, before getting to the numbers, my colleagues up and down the hall back at the office reminded me to thank you for your contribution to Canada’s statistical system.

2. The Agriculture and Agri-Food System in Canada
OUTLINE
1. Introduction
2. What is the “agriculture and agri-food system?”
3. Where does agricultural production go?
4. The flow of materials into and out of the food processing sector
5. Agriculture and agri-food gross domestic product
6. Profits in food processing and food retailing
7. Agriculture and agri-food employment
8. Summary .

3. The Agriculture and Agri-Food System in Canada
Introduction
Agricultural policy in Canada has shifted from a focus on farm commodities to a broader focus on the agriculture and agri-food system.
The purpose of this paper is to review some of the statistical dimensions of the agriculture and agri-food system. .

14. The Agriculture and Agri-Food System in Canada
Summary
Policy in Canada has shifted from the farm to the agriculture and agri-food system.
The primary agriculture sector represents 1 percent of GDP while the “agri-food” sector represents 7 percent.
Employment growth is solely due to the growth of employment in restaurants, bars and taverns.
RURAL IS NOT ONLY AGRICULTURE - only 6 percent of rural employment is on farm.
AGRICULTURE IS NOT ONLY RURAL – only 71 percent of agriculture employment is in predominantly rural regions. .