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The Daily Version française

Monday, April 26, 1999
For release at 8:30 a.m.


FEATURES
Agriculture-Population Linkage database - 1996 Census of Agriculture

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The decline in farm population has slowed considerably since 1986. Between 1986 and 1991, the farm population declined 5.6% while between 1991 and 1996, it declined 1.7%. At the time of the 1996 Census of Agriculture, Canada's farm population stood at 851,400, representing 3% of the overall population.
  • The 1996 Census counted 39,600 farm operators who were immigrants, about one-tenth of the total number of farmers. Two-thirds of these individuals reported a mother tongue other than English or French. The largest groups consisted of farm operators who reported German as their mother tongue, followed by Dutch and Italian.
  • Farmers on the whole were better educated in 1996 than they were 15 years earlier. In addition to increases in university education, many opted for some form of non-university postsecondary education. In 1996, 15% had university education, compared with 24% with non-university postsecondary education.
  • Wages and salaries remained the biggest source of income for farm families on unincorporated farms. In 1995, they accounted for 55 cents of every dollar in total farm family income. Net farm income was the second highest contributor to total family income at 19 cents of every dollar.