2016 CENSUS BULLETIN AgricultureThis bulletin summarizes the 2016 Census of Agriculture Farm and Food Operator Data release for Peel Region and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Peel has a diverse agricultural industry that provides a wide range of locally grown products. Based on the number of farms, livestock is Peel’s largest agricultural sector, with beef, dairy and equine industries accounting for 33.1% of Peel farms. Another 25.7% of Peel farms produce oilseed and grain crops, such as the ones you might find in your morning bowl of cereal. We also enjoy a variety of fresh flowers, maple syrup, honey, fruits and vegetables from the greenhouses and farms that comprise another 24.3% of Peel’s agriculture sector.

Eggproduction

increased by

since 2011 25.2%

The averageage of farmoperators in

Peel is

57.5of farm

operators inPeel lived on

the landthey farm

84% Since 2011,the number of

honey beecolonies hasincreased

166.6%of Peel farms

had cattleor calvesin 2016

27.7%

www.peeldatacentre.caSource: Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture 2006 - 2016.

MA

Y 20

17

Peel’s Strategic Plan includes 20-year goals with an ultimate vision ofcreating a Community for Life. Census data from this release is used to

inform and achieve our goals of…“Ensuring access to local, nutritious food sources” and

“Prioritizing sustainability and long-term benefits to future generations”

TORONTO

YORKPEEL

HALTON

DURHAM

TOTAL GROSS FARM RECEIPTS IN GTA 2015 (Millions)

$321.75

$143.80 $94.13 $301.46

Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture 2006 - 2016.

754 people were employed on farms in Peel in 2015.

DIDYOUKNOW?

FARMS CLASSIFIED BY INDUSTRY GROUP IN PEEL

26%26% 2%

2%

8%8%4%4%

6%6%4%4%5%5%

6%6%

10%

8%8%

19%19% 2%

2%10%

Hay

Poultry & Egg

Dairy

Sheep& Goat

Equine

Vegetable& Melon

Greenhouse, Nursery& Floriculture Production

Fruit &Tree Nut

Beef

Other AnimalProduction

Oilseed & Grain

Other CropFarming

In 2016, 30 farms in Peel had solar panels as renewable energy producing systems on site.

DIDYOUKNOW?

In 2016 Peel farms produced 763,968 eggs.

DIDYOUKNOW? 14.1%

23.4%38.0%20.0%

4.5%

TOP 5 HAY & FIELD CROPSBY AREA GROWN IN PEEL

Hay

Wheat Corn Soy

Other (e.g., Barley, Oats, Rye)

9.3%13.9%3,706 3,190 2,894

NUMBER OF FARMS IN GTA 2006-2016

2006 2011 2016

NUMBER OF FARMS IN PEEL 2006-2016

2006 2011 2016

483 440 408

8.9% 7.3%

Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture 2006 - 2016.

GTA FARMS BY LAND SIZE (HECTARES)

70.9%

11.5%

17.6%

70.9%

11.5%

17.6%

64.6%

13.2%

22.2%

64.6%

13.2%

22.2%

TORONTO

YORK

PEELHALTON

DURHAM69.1%

15.9%

15.0%

69.1%

15.9%

15.0%

75.4%

17.3%7.3%

75.4%

17.3%7.3%

Dur

ham

Hal

ton

0 - 52

Peel

53 - 161

162+

York

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

22,000

2006 2011 2016

19,216 19,946 17,325

HEC

TARE

S

14,43120,651 19,834

OwnedRented/Crop Shared

HEC

TARE

S

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

2006 2011 2016

156,444 125,971 133,627 127,976125,200 114,482

OwnedRented/Crop Shared

FARM LAND AREA OWNED vs. RENTED/CROP SHARED

IN PEEL 2006-2016

FARM LAND AREA OWNED vs. RENTED/CROP SHARED

IN GTA 2006-2016

Community Quotable

Here’s how our partners use Census

data to serve the community:

"Our world is filled with information

and pieces of data that are difficult to bring together for

interpretation.In the Agricultural

Census bulletin, the Region of Peel is

able to clearly tell the story of food and farming to

policy makers and farmers alike.”

-Janet Horner,Executive Director, Golden Horseshoe Food & Farming

Alliance

AGRICULTURALLAND AS

PERCENTAGE OFTOTAL LAND

IN PEEL2016

27%

73%

AGRICULTURALLAND AS

PERCENTAGE OFTOTAL LAND

IN PEEL2006

31%

69%

Agricultural Land2016

Other Land

2006

www.peeldatacentre.ca

*Figures may not add up due to rounding.To view detailed data tables related to this bulletin,

please visit: www.peeldatacentre.ca

In 2016, there were 408 farms in Peel Region, compared to 440 farms in 2011. Since 2011, the number of hectares in agricultural use in Peel declined by 11.2%, compared to a 6.0% decline across the GTA. In total, there were 34,265 hectares of agricultural land owned, rented, leased or crop-shared in Peel Region in 2016. Gross Farm Receipts (GFR) rose by 5.9% in Peel between 2010 and 2015.

There were 585 farmers in Peel Region in 2016. In total, 754 people were employed in paid full-time, part-time or seasonal agricultural work in 2015. In 2016, the average age of a farmer in Peel Region was 57.5 years, compared to the average age of 55.3 years for a farmer in Ontario.

Livestock farms (i.e., dairy, beef, poultry, goat, sheep, equine and other animal production) declined by 1.7% in Peel Region between 2011 and 2016. However, it remained the largest primary agriculture production sector in Peel Region in 2016 comprising 43.2% of the total number of farm operations. The number of oilseed, grain and hay farms decreased by 9.0% and comprised 32.4% of Peel’s farms. Vegetable, fruit, greenhouse, nursery and other crops, such as maple syrup decreased 14.7% and comprised 24.3% of the farms in Peel Region in 2016.

Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture 2006 - 2016.

SUMMARY OF FACTS

NUMBER OF FARMS CLASSIFIED BY TOTAL FARM AREA

FARMS CLASSIFIED BY INDUSTRY (FARMS REPORTING)

TENURE OF LAND BY TOTAL AREA

Durham 1,080 935 855 -20.8% 417 338 294 -29.5% 189 181 174 -7.9%

Halton 413 346 340 -17.7% 110 90 78 -29.1% 43 33 33 -23.3%

York 679 580 505 -25.6% 211 170 125 -40.8% 82 78 82 0.0%

Peel 307 289 282 -8.1% 104 83 65 -37.5% 72 68 61 -15.3%

GTA 2,479 2,150 1,982 -20.0% 842 681 562 -33.3% 385 359 350 -9.1%

Municipality

0 - 52 Hectares 53 - 161 Hectares 162 Hectares and Greater

2016Growth

06-162016Growth

06-16 2006 20112006 2011 2016Growth

06-16 2006 2011

Durham 83,741 73,030 73,672 -12.0% 52,370 51,001 48,314 -7.7% 3,926 2,462 2,044 -47.9%

Halton 18,453 13,668 12,640 -31.5% 19,501 18,544 15,944 -18.2% 770 1,231 497 -35.5%

York 35,033 29,603 27,233 -22.3% 34,154 35,003 30,390 -11.0% 1,758 940 2,108 19.9%

Peel 19,216 17,325 14,431 -24.9% 19,946 20,651 19,834 -0.6% 1,291 1,754 747 -42.1%

GTA 156,444 133,627 127,976 -18.2% 125,971 125,200 114,482 -9.1% 7,745 6,387 5,396 -30.3%

Municipality

Area Owned (Hectares)

Area Leased, Rented or Crop Shared (Hectares)

Land Used Through Other Arrangements (Hectares)

2006 2011 2016

Growth Rate 06-16 2006 2011 2016

Growth Rate 06-16 2006 2011 2016

Growth Rate 06-16

Municipality 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016Durham 104 81 226 183 48 48 33 26 11 13 102 98Halton 12 5 27 28 11 12 7 6 2 5 26 32York 35 25 72 58 16 19 19 11 3 0 46 45Peel 25 19 46 39 8 9 7 4 2 4 24 24GTA 176 130 371 308 83 88 66 47 18 22 198 199

Dairy Cattle & Milk Production

Beef Cattle Ranching & Farming

Poultry & Egg Production Sheep Farming Goat Farming

Other Animal Production

Municipality 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016 2011 2016Durham 219 178 273 278 40 59 42 43 112 101 170 137 69 74Halton 92 97 107 97 18 26 22 23 64 57 58 40 22 23York 151 114 112 106 108 98 21 20 135 111 74 63 32 41Peel 67 77 108 105 20 32 22 18 47 32 37 27 27 17GTA 529 466 600 586 186 215 107 104 358 301 339 267 150 155

Other Crop Farming

Horse & Other Equine

Production

Oilseed & Grain

FarmingVegetable &

Melon FarmingFruit & Tree Nut

Farming

Greenhouse, Nursery &

Floriculture Production Hay Farming