Farm and Farm Operator Data
Yukon and the Northwest Territories agricultural trends
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The agricultural sector in Yukon and the Northwest Territories was relatively stable from 2011 to 2016. Farm numbers declined by less than 1% while the number of farm operators increased. Most of the farms were located in Yukon.
Hay accounted for three-quarters of the cropland in the North, while oats was the largest field crop, despite seeded area falling by over one-third from 2011.
Farm operators in the North were on average a year younger than in 2011 and over 40% of them were female.
In Yukon and the Northwest Territories, 71.4% of farm operators reported an off farm job, higher than the national average of 44.4%.
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The definition of an agricultural operation in Yukon and the Northwest Territories differs slightly from the definition in the rest of Canada as it includes those involved in:
- herding wild animals (such as caribou and muskox);
- breeding sled dogs;
- horse outfitting and rigging;
- harvesting indigenous plants and berries.
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Slightly fewer census farms
The 2016 Census of Agriculture counted 158 census farms in Yukon and the Northwest Territories, down 0.6% from 2011. Yukon reported 142 census farms in 2016, while the Northwest Territories reported 16 census farms.
More farm operators in Yukon and the Northwest Territories
The number of farm operators in Yukon and the Northwest Territories rose by 2.6% from 2011 to 234 farm operators in 2016.
Female operators accounted for 41.5% of farm operators in Yukon and the Northwest Territories in 2016, up from 39.9% in 2011 and well above the national average of 28.7%.
The average age of farm operators in Yukon and the Northwest Territories decreased from 54.8 years in 2011 to 53.6 in 2016. The share of young (under 35 years old) and middle-age (35 to 54 years old) farmers increased from 2011 to 2016, while the share of older farmers (55 years and older) decreased from 57.0% to 48.7%.
| Age group | 2011 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Percent of farm operatorsTable 1 Note 1 | ||
| Under 35 years old | 5.3 | 6.0 |
| 35 to 54 years old | 37.7 | 45.3 |
| 55 years and older | 57.0 | 48.7 |
| Total farm operators | 100.0 | 100.0 |
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In 2015, 24.8% of farm operators in Yukon and the Northwest Territories worked more than 40 hours a week on average on farm operations, up from 20.2% in 2010 but well below the national average of 37.5%.
Meanwhile, more farmers worked off the farm in 2015, with 71.4% of farm operators in Yukon and the Northwest Territories reporting an off farm job compared with 59.2% in 2010. Nationally, 44.4% of farm operators worked off the farm.
Total farm area declines, but cropland remains stable
The total farm area over which farmers had stewardship in Yukon and the Northwest Territories decreased by 4.8% from 2011 to 25,860 acres in 2016. The average size of farms also declined, from 171 acres in 2011 to 164 acres in 2016.
Although total and average farm area declined, the area of cropland remained stable (+0.5%) at 6,318 acres. There were shifts of area away from hay to the production of field crops from 2011 to 2016.
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Total farm area, which is land owned or operated by an agricultural operation, includes:
- cropland;
- summerfallow;
- improved and unimproved pasture;
- woodlands and wetlands;
- all other land (including idle land, and land on which farm buildings are located).
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| Component of cropland | 2011 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Percent of croplandTable 2 Note 1 | ||
| Field crops | 21.2 | 22.2 |
| Hay | 76.6 | 75.6 |
| OthersTable 2 Note 2 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Total cropland | 100.0 | 100.0 |
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Oats are the leading crop
Just over one-quarter (25.9%) of all farms in Yukon and the Northwest Territories reported growing field crops. Field crop area increased by 5.4% from 2011 to 1,405 acres in 2016. Although the area seeded with oats declined 36.8% from 2011, it remained the largest field crop (647 acres) in Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Dried field peas increased from no acres in 2011 to 73 acres in 2016.
Total area of land in fruits, berries, and nuts doubles
The total area of land in fruits, berries and nuts increased 104.4% from 2011 to 64 acres in 2016. This area included 9 acres of Saskatoon berries and 7 acres of raspberries.
The greenhouse flower and vegetable production area declined 40.4% from 2011 to 42,043 square feet in 2016. The largest area under glass was dedicated to vegetables, followed by flowers.
Turkey inventory and turkey production increase
Turkey inventory in Yukon and the Northwest Territories increased by 43.1% from 2011 to 289 birds in 2016, with the number of farms reporting turkey inventory doubling to 12 farms.
Turkey production in Yukon and the Northwest Territories increased by 124.2% from 2010 to 5,174 kilograms in 2015. The number of farms reporting turkey production more than tripled to 16.
In terms of livestock, farms reporting cattle accounted for 8.9% of all farms in Yukon and the Northwest Territories, down from 9.4% in 2011. Farms reporting pigs accounted for 18.4% of all farms in Yukon and the Northwest Territories, up from 5.7% in 2011. The number of farms reporting some livestock increased 5.8% to 91.
Poultry and egg farms account for over two-fifths of gross farm receipts in Yukon and the Northwest Territories
Poultry and egg type farms in Yukon and the Northwest Territories generated $4.4 million in gross farm receipts in 2015, accounting for 44.2% of all gross farm receipts.
Overall, the agricultural sector in Yukon and the Northwest Territories generated $10.0 million in gross farm receipts while incurring $8.8 million in operating expenses. On average, for every dollar in sales, farms had 88 cents in expenses in 2015 for an expense-to-receipt ratio of 0.88. This ratio was 0.86 in 2010.
Statistics Canada would like to thank the farming community of Yukon and the Northwest Territories for their participation and assistance in the 2016 Census of Agriculture.
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The expense-to-receipt ratio is the average amount of operating expenses incurred for a dollar in farm receipts. The ratio is calculated in current dollars.
Price indices were used to obtain constant dollar estimates of receipts, expenditures and capital values in order to eliminate the impact of price changes in year-to-year comparison.
Census Day was May 10, 2016. Farmers were asked to report their receipts and expenses for the last complete fiscal or calendar year (2015).
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Census farm: An operation is considered a census farm (agricultural operation) if it produces at least one of the following products intended for sale:
- Crops: Hay, field crops, tree fruits or nuts, berries or grapes, vegetables, seed;
- Livestock: Cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, game animals, other livestock;
- Poultry: Hens, chickens, turkeys, chicks, game birds, other poultry;
- Animal products: Milk or cream, eggs, wool, furs, meat;
- Other agricultural products: Christmas trees, sod, greenhouse or nursery products, mushrooms, honey or bees, maple syrup and its products.
The data for Yukon and the Northwest Territories are not included in the national totals because of the different definition of an agricultural operation in the territories and confidentiality constraints. The data for Yukon and the Northwest Territories are presented separately.
Farm type: Farm type is established through a procedure that classifies each census farm according to the predominant type of production. This is done by estimating the potential receipts from the inventories of crops and livestock reported on the questionnaire and determining the product or group of products that make up the majority of the estimated receipts. For example, a census farm with total potential receipts of 60% from hogs, 20% from beef cattle and 20% from wheat, would be classified as a hog and pig farm. The farm types presented in this document are derived based on the 2012 North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS).
P.T.O. hp (Power Take Off horsepower): The measure of the power available from a tractor engine to drive implements.
Gross farm receipts: The Census of Agriculture measures gross farm receipts for the calendar or accounting year prior to the census. Gross farm receipts (before deducting expenses) in this analysis include:
- receipts from all agricultural products sold;
- program payments and custom work receipts.
The following are not included in gross farm receipts:
- sales of forestry products (for example: firewood, pulpwood, logs, fence posts and pilings);
- sales of capital items (for example: quota, land, machinery);
- receipts from the sale of any goods purchased only for retail sales.
Total operating expenses: The Census of Agriculture measures operating expenses for the calendar or accounting year prior to the census. Total operating expenses include:
- any expense associated with producing agricultural products (such as the cost of seed, feed, fuel, fertilizers, etc.).
The following are not included in total operating expenses:
- the purchase of land, buildings or equipment;
- depreciation or capital cost allowance. Depreciation represents economic "wear and tear" expense. Capital cost allowance represents the amount of depreciation written off by the tax filer as allowed by tax regulations.
2010 to 2015: Some data refer to a reference period other than Census Day. For example, for financial data the reference period is the calendar or accounting (fiscal) year prior to the census.
Farm operator: According to the census, a farm operator is any person responsible for the management decisions made for an agricultural operation as of May 10, 2016.
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Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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