Agriculture in the Central Ontario Zone

Agriculture is the most significant land use in the Central Ontario Zone. Of the approximately 9.2 million acres that make up the Central Ontario Zone, 4.1 million acres or 44.2% was classified as farmland by Statistics Canada in 2001. If the County of Haliburton, which contains very little agricultural land, is excluded, more than half of the zone is farmland. In the area outside the four regions of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), 55.2% of the land is farmed; 42% of the land in the GTA (excluding the City of Toronto) is farmed.

Table 1 presents a breakdown of the percentage of land farmed in each of the individual regions or counties in the zone during the period from 1986 to 2001.

Table 1: Percentage of Land Farmed in Acres Against the Total County/District Acreage for 1986 to 2001

Notes:

* All Haldimand County statistics include Norfolk County.

* Statistics Canada has amalgamated Toronto farms into the York Region statistics for confidentiality reasons.

Source: Agricultural Statistics for Ontario 1986, 1991, 1996.

The number of farms in Ontario has dropped sharply over time. Table 2 confirms a decrease of 25% in the number of farms between 1986 and 2001. However, this statistic by itself is misleading. If the number of acres of farmland is considered, rather than the number of farms, the decrease in the area being farmed is only about 6%. This is the result of the trend toward amalgamation of farm operations.

Table 2: Rate of Change in Number of Farms, Area Farmed, and Gross Farm Receipts for 1986 to 2001.

Notes:

* All Haldimand County statistics include Norfolk County.

* Statistics Canada amalgamates Toronto farms into the York Region statistics for confidentiality reasons.

Source: Agricultural Statistics for Ontario 1986, 1991, 1996.

In areas experiencing more intense growth pressure, the decrease in farmland acres is more significant.² There is a correlation between proximity to Toronto and decrease in acres farmed. The greatest loss of farmland has occurred in the GTA. Between 1991 and 2001, 34,639 acres of farmland went out of production in York, 25,043 acres went out of production in Peel, 20,047 acres went out of production in Halton, and 27,882 acres went out of production in Durham. A total of 107,611 acres was taken out of agricultural production in the GTA in 15 years. The rate of change for the study area between 1986 and 2001 is shown in Table 2.

The proportion of land under production that is rented rather than owned is often an indicator of the stability of the industry. In 1986, 68.8% of the 4.3 million acres being farmed in the region was owned; 31.2 % was rented. In 2001, 61.6% of the 4.1 million acres of farmland was owned and 38.4% was rented. Table 3 lists the amount of owned vs. rented land by region and the percentage change that has occurred since 1986. What is notable, is the rate of change in the ratios of rented to owned land in various parts of the region. Again there is a correlation between proximity to urban areas and a higher percentage of rented land.

A review of gross farm receipts presents a different picture of the state of the industry. In 1986, the 27,444 farms in the zone generated more than $2.1 billion in gross farm receipts. In 2001, the 21,893 farms generated more than $3.5 billion in gross farm receipts. Since 1996, the value of gross farm receipts in the zone has increased by 24.4 %. This seems to confirm that farmers are more productive and better off today than they were 15 years ago. However, the costs of production and inflation must be considered when reviewing these statistics. After adjusting the values to the 2001 value, the increase in value in real dollars between 1991 and 2001 is approximately 8.9 %. The relative increase is less marked, but it remains true that fewer farmers are producing more, on a smaller land base.

Although agriculture is not a major employer, it does represent a significant work force. In the four regions of the GTA, for example, in 1996, agriculture accounted for 15,000 direct jobs and 35,000 agriculturally related jobs.³ The food produced by the farms in the zone supports a huge industry of food processors that serves both domestic and international markets. In 2001, Ontario exported more than $7 billion of agri-food products and the agri-food industry employed more than 600,000 people.

Between 1991 and 1996 there was a decline of 6% in the number of jobs in agriculture and in agricultural services. A combination of factors could account for this: the recession that affected agriculture in the early 1990s, the decline in the number of farms as they amalgamated or underwent a change in land use, and the aging of the farmer population.

This summary of the status of agriculture in the zone is cursory. To truly understand the trends affecting agriculture, a detailed analysis of all components of the industry is required. However, it is sufficient to confirm that agriculture is a major industry in the Central Ontario Zone. It is the largest user of land in the zone, and in most of the regions and counties, it occupies the majority of the land base. It generates huge revenues and employs a significant number of people directly and indirectly. It provides fresh, high-quality food to the growing number of residents in the area. The level of productivity continues to rise while the land base continues to erode. Successfully managing this industry will be a critical challenge for Smart Growth.

Table 3: Farm Land Area Classified by Tenure, by Counties & District for 1986 to 2001.

* All Haldimand County statistics include Norfolk County.

* Statistics Canada amalgamates Toronto farms into the York Region statistics for confidentiality reasons.

Source: Agricultural Statistics for Ontario 1986, 1991, 1996.

Notes

2. Statistics Canada changed the definition of farmland several times between 1986 and 2001, making absolute comparisons impossible. Trends should be reviewed, rather than absolute numbers.

3. Greater Toronto Area, Agricultural Economic Impact Study, p. 4.14.