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breakdown of smaller versus larger
farming operations. That report should
be published in early 2018.
Yes, farmers are getting older—
following the national trend of an aging
population. The average age increased
from 54 years in 2011 to 55 years in 2016.
However, as Wood pointed out, the
census also showed about a three per
cent increase in the number of farmers
under the age of 35. This is the first
increase in younger farmers since the
1991 census.
There was a total of 271,935 farm
operators in 2016. While the majority (71
per cent) were male, nearly 29 per cent
were female. This is a slight increase over
the 2011 census figures, but continues
a gradual but long-term trend first seen
in 1991. It is also interesting to note that,
while there is an increase in the number
of male farmers under the age of 35, the
number of female farm operators in this
age category is increasing at a faster rate.
Since 2011, the number of young male
operators increased by about 24 per
cent, while the number of young female
operators increased by 113 per cent.
“As farms get larger, the role of
the farm operator is changing,” said
Wood. “It may mean there is less time
in the tractor seat and more time on the
managerial side of things, and that may
be more appealing to young people
regardless of whether they are male or
female.”
Farm values have increased
considerably since the 2011 census. The
average value of land and buildings was
$2,696 per acre in 2016—a 38 per cent
increase from five years before. While
farm asset values have increased, this
does make it more challenging for new
farmers to get involved or existing farms
to expand. However, at the same time,
producers have been able to expand
their farming operations by renting or
leasing land from retiring operators.
Wood said that while there are many
good signals in the 2016 census, he is
concerned by low figures regarding
farm succession planning. While
farmers are aging and getting closer
to retirement, he is concerned that the
census showed only 8.4 per cent of
farms have a written succession plan.
This ranged from 5.7 per cent of sole
proprietor farms with succession plans
to 16.3 per cent of family and non-family
corporations with plans.
“Overall, I was surprised that less
then 10 per cent of farms have a written
succession plan,” he said. “And this
CROPLAND
INCREASED NEARLY
SEVEN PER CENT TO
93.4 MILLION
ACRES
271,935
FARMOPERATORS IN 2016
OF FARMS HAVE A WRITTEN
SUCCESSION PLAN
Increase in acres is due to
farmers switching hay, forage and
pasture production over to annual
crop production