12 ONTARIO’S GRAIN AND oilseed sector has grabbed an unprecedented share of the spotlight in the new Census of Agriculture. The census, conducted every five years, shows that Ontario grain and oilseed farms account for a growing share of the total Canadian farmland dedicated to grain and oilseed production. That share was nearly 28 per cent, compared to 26.5 per cent in 2016. Only Saskatchewan ranked higher, at 31.4 per cent. Similarly, Ontario farms classified as grain and oilseed increased by 4.6 per cent, compared to the national estimate of -0.4 per cent. Operating revenues (sales from commodities) in grains and oilseeds realized a whopping 30 per cent increase from 2015 to 2020, rising to $4.8 billion. And while the total number of farms in Ontario fell by 2.5 per cent (as they did nationally, by 1.8 per cent), the number of operations identifying grains and oilseeds as their main income source rose by almost eight per cent. Canada overall saw a 0.7 per cent increase in total farm area for farms classified as grain and oilseed. Ontario realized a 2.5 per cent increase. 2021 Census of Agriculture GRAINS AND OILSEEDS GRAB A SHARE OF THE SPOTLIGHT Owen Roberts "Grains and oilseeds are bucking any downward trend," says Statistics Canada analyst Matthew Shumsky, who specializes in agriculture. "You're seeing grain and oilseed farms in Ontario taking a larger share." Profitability is one reason for the interest in grain and oilseed production. Statistics Canada noted that the expenses-torevenues ratio across farm types showed that farms classified as oilseed and grain farming were the most profitable in 2020, with an expenses-to-revenues ratio of 0.76 (sheep and goat farms had the highest ratio, at 0.97). BIGGER FARMS TREND UPWARD The census showed that bigger farms were trending upwards. In Ontario, the number of grain and oilseed-dominant farms with $2 million or more in sales (based on current dollars) skyrocketed by 90 per cent. Nationally, those farms increased in number by almost 65 per cent. Farms in the top sales classes in Canada also account for the largest share of total farm operating revenues and a larger share of total farm employees. For example, in 2020, farms reporting at least $2 million in sales accounted for 51.5 per cent of total farm operating revenues, 10 per cent more than in 2015. Shumsky says the large-farm growth is noteworthy. "Farms are becoming larger business entities as agriculture becomes more sophisticated," he says. "The sector is adapting and modernizing, with higher rates of technology adoption, renewable energy production, use of direct marketing solutions, and sustainable farming practices… in view of the issues and challenges all farm operators have faced, such as the pandemic, trade disputes and rising land prices, the grain and oilseed sector's performance in Ontario speaks to its resiliency." Industry News ↑11% (2016) 65%of farms engage in sustainable practices ↑8%GRAIN AND OILSEED FARMS IN ONTARIO ↑125% 1 in 8farms report renewable energy production
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