Fig. 41 Alberta Farms Classified by Type, 2011
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture, 2011
Fig. 42 Alberta Farms Classified by Gross Farm Receipts, 1986-2011
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture, 1986-2011
Fruit and tree-nut, 151
Hog, 193
Vegetable, 277
Poultry and Egg, 339
Dairy, 485
Sheep and Goat, 490
Wheat, 2,083
Other Livestock
6,374
Other Crops
9,385
Oilseed and Grain
(
except wheat)
10,609
Beef Cattle
12,022
Greenhouse, Nursery, Floriculture, Mushroom, 826
Number of Farms
The 2011 Census classifies farms according to the predominant type of production based on the North American Industry
Classification System. 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.
In 2011, beef cattle farms continued to be the most common farm type in Alberta, accounting for 27.8 per cent or 12,022 of the
province’s census farms. The number of other crops farms, such as dry field peas and corn for silage, saw a significant growth of
75.1
per cent since 2006 and totaled 9,385, while the number of hog farms dropped 67.7 per cent to 193, fruit and tree nut farms
fell 33.5 per cent to 151 and wheat farms fell 25.8 per cent to 2,083.
In the 2011 Census, Alberta gross farm receipts averaged $264,518 per farm. The number of farms with $500,000 or more (in
current dollars) of 2010 gross farm receipts increased to 4,454, and represented 10.3 per cent of total farms, yet accounted for
70.6
per cent of total provincial gross farms receipts.
1986
1991
1996
2001
2006
2011
26,022
23,026
23,361
19,654
18,511
15,569
9,842
9,950
9,057
8,335
7,170
6,051
10,549
10,681
9,689
8,526
7,448
5,934
10,439
12,300
14,937
14,361
13,138
11,226
925
1,288
1,963
2,776
3,164
4,454
Under
$25,000
$25,000 -
$49,999
$50,000 -
$99,999
$100,000 -
$499,999
$500,000
and Over
Gross Farm Receipts:
(
Current Dollars)
Number of Farms
$200,058
$184,885
$134,071
$96,811
$77,433
Average Gross Farm
Receipts per Farm
$264,518
- 133 -
Alberta Agriculture Statistics Yearbook, 2012