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What's new for 2006

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Getting and returning your questionnaire

In 2006, for the first time, farm operators in urban areas will receive their questionnaires by mail through Canada Post rather than by hand through a local enumerator. Most operators in rural areas will continue to receive their questionnaire by hand but this census, to address concerns about privacy, every operator will mail back the form directly to Statistics Canada in Ottawa. Until 2001, each census form was mailed back to a local census office where a local census enumerator would look at it for errors and omissions and follow up with the operator for clarification when needed.

As well in 2006, operators may access their questionnaires on the Internet with a unique access code. When completed, the questionnaire can be sent electronically to the Data Processing Centre in Ottawa. Questionnaires completed and returned by mail or on the Internet will never be seen by a local enumerator.

New on the questionnaire

Although no topics on the 2006 Census of Agriculture questionnaire are entirely new, several questions have been added. Most notable are the sections on bees, injuries, irrigation, manure, land tenure and organic production.

Bees

Honey is not the only "product" bees produce. Selling bees and their pollination services is a growing agricultural activity and not just with honeybees. Leafcutter bees, as well as other varieties, are becoming increasingly important for pollinating crops such as alfalfa and blueberries, as well as in greenhouses. The question on bees now asks about numbers of colonies of honeybees as well as numbers of other bees used exclusively for pollination.

Injuries

In past censuses farm-related injuries could only be reported for the farm operator. This time, the injuries section has been expanded to include farm-related injuries to anyone working on the farm. The aim is to provide better information on the nature of farm-related injuries for anyone involved in the agriculture operation.

Irrigation

In 2006, farm operators may report using an irrigation system, as well as the land that was irrigated, in the land management step on the questionnaire. In 2001 operators simply selected irrigation as one of many possible land management practices employed on their operation.

Manure

This step has been expanded substantially for 2006. The initial question asks whether manure was produced or used on the operation as opposed to simply applied. If the answer to either is "yes," several options are listed to indicate how it was used. A third question determines the method of manure application, the area on which each method was used, and how the land on which the manure was applied was used.

Land tenure

The section where operators report their land has been revamped to get a clearer picture of how land is being used. No longer must each separate parcel be listed by location; however, space is now provided to report the land being rented, crop-shared or used by others.

Organic production

The questions on organic products now encourage producers to report products for sale that are organic but not certified or in transition to becoming certified. In 2001 operators could only report their certified-organic products produced for sale. Also, for the first time, space is a provided to identify the certifying agency if certified or transitional products are produced.