Canada's 2021 Census of Agriculture: A closer look at farming across the regions

Jun 16, 2022

Data from the 2021 Census of Agriculture revealed that the agriculture sector continues to play an important role in the Canadian economy and society, with 189,874 farms, 262,455 farm operators and 242,052 paid employees.

The Canadian farming industry is adapting quickly with increases in land sustainability practices, renewable energy production and technology use.

Each region of Canada has its own story to tell about how it contributes to the country's vast array of agricultural commodities.

Today, Statistics Canada is pleased to announce the release of 11 articles profiling farm and farm operator trends in Canada's provinces and territories.

These profile articles look at key trends from 2016 to 2021, and compare them against national totals. These articles are published in Canadian Agriculture at a Glance.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.