Saskatchewan gets top grade for its ag industry

Saskatchewan producer’s own the largest farms, says the Conference Board of Canada

By Jennifer Jackson

Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry is scoring high grades and the province is the only one in the country to receive an “A” on its ag industry, according to Canada’s Food Report Card: Provincial Performance, released May 18 by the Conference Board of Canada.

Specifically, Saskatchewan earned an “A” grade in industry prosperity – the category which encompasses the strength of the agri-food system at the farm level.

Notable facts:

-          Saskatchewan has the largest amount of farm area acres – over 60 million acres

-          Saskatchewan has the largest average farm size – approximately 1,600 acres per farm

-          Given the large farm sizes, Saskatchewan has a large net capital in the industry – about $11,000 million

-          Approximately 25 per cent of farms in Saskatchewan earn less than $100,000 in yearly revenue

-          Approximately 25 per cent of farms in Saskatchewan earn over $500,000 in yearly revenue

-          Of all provinces, Saskatchewan had the highest annual return on assets between 2005 and 2015 at 5 per cent

In addition to industry prosperity, Saskatchewan earned passing grades in the other food industry categories.

The report grades each province on its food sector and system. The Report Card includes five categories: industry prosperity, food safety, healthy food and diets, environmental sustainability and household food security, according to the release.

“As a developed nation, most Canadians enjoy access to foods that are safe, nutritious, affordable and available to everyone, produced in ways that are environmentally sustainable,” Jean-Charles Le Vallée, associate director, Centre for Food, The Conference Board of Canada, said in the release. “The food report card highlights areas where the provinces are doing well, but more importantly points out areas where improvements are needed.”

The report is on the Conference Board of Canada’s website.

Farms.com has reached out to the board for more information on the agricultural component of the report.