The 2021 Census of Agriculture and Apiculture in Canada

In May 2021, farm operators will be asked to complete the 2021 Census of Agriculture questionnaire to help update Canada's agricultural profile.

Data from the census will provide farm operators, farm organizations, policy makers, stakeholders and citizens with relevant information about the Canadian agricultural sector, and will help them make informed decisions regarding agricultural investments and practices in Canada.

Stakeholders

The participation of apiculture producers in the Census of Agriculture is an important factor in obtaining new information at the local and national levels.

Accurate statistics give farm operators an understanding of past and present agricultural sector information and allow for well-informed responses to future farming challenges.

Policy makers

The Census of Agriculture is the backbone of Canada's agricultural statistics program. It identifies trends, opportunities and challenges within the agricultural sector. Questions cover topics such as land use, crops, livestock, agricultural labour, machinery and equipment, land management practices, and farm finances. The breadth and depth of the census content makes it the most definitive source of information on the agricultural sector. It provides a rich source of data on the realities of farming life in Canada.

Farm operators

In early May, farm operators will receive a letter with easyto-follow instructions on how to complete the Census of Agriculture questionnaire online. This user-friendly option will save time by automatically adding totals and limiting the questions to those that apply to the operation. All agricultural operations in Canada are legally required to complete the census questionnaire, according to the Statistics Act. The questionnaire can be completed by anyone who is responsible for, or knowledgeable about, the day-to-day management decisions of the farming operation. The information provided will be kept strictly confidential and will be used only for statistical purposes as mandated by the same act.

This May, complete the Census of Agriculture questionnaire and be heard amongst Canada's apiculture producers!

Quick apiculture facts from the 2016 Census of Agriculture

• The number of honeybee colonies increased by 37.7% in the last five years to 772,652. • There were 772,652 colonies of honeybees on 4,871 Canadian farms. Two-thirds of all honeybee colonies reported were located in the Prairie provinces. • View a map of the Number of honeybee colonies by census division (CD), 2016, Canada. • There were 2,075 farms specializing in bee farming (the majority of their farm receipts were from the sale of honeybee products). Here are some facts about these farms: • They had a total of 701,603 honeybee colonies (90.8% of the total number in Canada). • Among the 2,075 specialized bee farms in Canada, 57.9% were held in sole proprietorship, 19.6% were owned in partnerships, 18.9% were owned by family corporations and 3.6% were owned by non-family corporations. •The average size of a specialized honeybee farm was 338 colonies. •There were 2,795 operators across Canada, and 70.8% were male. • The average operator age was 52.4 years old. • Among these operators, 46.1% were 55 years and older, 42.9% were 35 to 54 years old, and 10.9% were younger than 35. •Almost half of operators (47.6%) did not work anywhere other than on the farm, while 18.0% worked more than 40 hours per week at another job in addition to their farming duties.