When Adrienne Ivey decided to return to the farm some 20 years ago, she considered herself an anomaly.
Now, the 37-year-old cattle rancher and mother of two could be the face of the 2016 Census of Agriculture, released on Wednesday.
That census shows for the first time in a quarter of a century, the number of young farmers is increasing.
There are more female farmers, too.
"It's becoming not abnormal to see people like me, that look like me, out in the field," said Ivey, who works with her husband on his family's farm located about 200 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.
According to the census, the number of farm operators under 35 increased from from 24,120 in 2011 to 24,850 in 2016.
'Embracing female farmers'
StatsCan also reports there were 77,970 female farmers in 2016, meaning women now make up 28.7 per cent of operators, up from 27.4 per cent in 2011.
In Saskatchewan, one quarter of all farm operators are women.
"Like the rest of the the world, agriculture is changing and we are embracing female farmers," she said.
Here's a snapshot of farming in Saskatchewan, according to Statistics Canada's 2016 Census of Agriculture:
- Average farm operator age rose from 54.2 years to 55.
- Saskatchewan is home to two-fifths of Canada's total field crop acreage, with 36.7 million acres.
- Canola and spring wheat (excluding durum) remain the two largest crops in terms of area.
- Saskatchewan's had a larger area of canola and lentils than all other provinces combined.
- There were 34,523 census farms counted in 2016.
- Saskatchewan has the second-largest cattle herd in Canada.
Ivey believes there is more optimism in farming and agriculture, which is driving more young people to get involved and return home to work on their family farms.
Strong beef prices, bumper grain crops and high commodity prices also make the industry more enticing.
Source : CBC