STEP 1   IMPORTANT

• Complete one questionnaire for each agricultural operation and return by mail.
• If additional questionnaires are needed, call us free of charge at 1-877-777-2011.
• If an extra questionnaire is received for the same agricultural operation, return it in the separate postage-paid envelope provided.

CONFIDENTIAL WHEN COMPLETED

The confidentiality of your census responses is protected by law. This information is collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. S-19, and must be provided by law.

STEP 2  Answer the following questions about each person responsible for the MANAGEMENT DECISIONS made for this agricultural operation as of May 10, 2011.

1. OPERATOR 1

• Surname or family name
• Given name and initial(s)
• Date of birth
  • Day
  • Month
  • Year
• Sex
  • Male
  • Female
• Mailing address
• Name of village, town or city
• Province
• Postal code
• Area code
• Telephone number
• Alternate telephone number (optional)

2. OPERATOR 2

• Surname or family name
• Given name and initial(s)
• Date of birth
  • Day
  • Month
  • Year
• Sex
  • Male
  • Female
• Mailing address (if different from that of operator 1)
• Name of village, town or city
• Province
• Postal code
• Area code
• Telephone number

3. OPERATOR 3

• Surname or family name
• Given name and initial(s)
• Date of birth
  • Day
  • Month
  • Year
• Sex
  • Male
  • Female
• Mailing address (if different from that of operator 1)
• Name of village, town or city
• Province
• Postal code
• Area code
• Telephone number

If there are more than three operators, provide names and addresses in the COMMENTS section on page 16.

STEP 3  Answer the following questions for EACH OPERATOR.

Copy the names in the SAME ORDER as in STEP 2.

OPERATOR 1          OPERATOR 2          OPERATOR 3

4. Name

• Surname or family name
• Given name and initial(s)

5. Did this operator live on this agricultural operation at any time during the last 12 months?

• No
• Yes

6. Farm work

In 2010, what was each operator's average time contribution to this agricultural operation? (Include custom work done for others.) (Fill in one circle only per operator.)

• On average, more than 40 hours per week
• On average, 30 to 40 hours per week
• On average, 20 to 29 hours per week
• On average, fewer than 20 hours per week

7. Other work

In 2010, did this operator receive a wage or salary from another job or operate another business not involved with this agricultural operation? (Do not include custom work done for others.)

• No
• Yes

If Yes, indicate the average time contribution to all other work. (Fill in one circle only per operator.)

• On average, more than 40 hours per week
• On average, 30 to 40 hours per week
• On average, 20 to 29 hours per week
• On average, fewer than 20 hours per week

STEP 4  Answer the following questions about the OPERATING ARRANGEMENT of this agricultural operation in 2011.

8. Enter the Business Number (GST/HST) issued by Canada Revenue Agency for this agricultural operation.

9. Enter the farm name (if applicable).

10. What is the operating arrangement of this operation? (Fill in one circle only.)

• Sole proprietorship
• Partnership without a written agreement
• Partnership with a written agreement
• Family corporation (including corporations with one shareholder)
• Non-family corporation

Enter the corporation name (if different from the farm name).

If question 10 does not describe the operating arrangement of this operation or if there is more than one Business Number for this operation, report in the COMMENTS section on page 16.

STEP 5  Enter the MAIN FARM LOCATION of this operation.

11. Enter the civic address.

• Number
• Road or street
• Name of village, town, city or municipality
• Province

12. In the Prairies, enter the quarter, section, township, range and meridian (if applicable).

• Quarter
• Section
• Township
• Range
• Meridian

STEP 6  What UNIT OF MEASURE will be used to report land areas? Use this unit to report all areas throughout the questionnaire unless otherwise specified. (Fill in one circle only.)

13.

• Acres
• Hectares
• Arpents (Quebec only)

1 acre = 0.40 hectare = 1.18 arpents
1 hectare = 2.47 acres = 2.92 arpents
1 arpent = 0.85 acre = 0.34 hectare

STEP 7  Answer the following questions about the TOTAL AREA OF WORKABLE and NON-WORKABLE LAND of this operation in 2011.

Area in 2011

LAND AREA owned, leased, rented, crop-shared or used

14. Total area owned (Include all workable and non-workable land.)

15. Leased FROM governments (land operated under licence, permit or lease, etc.)

16. Rented or leased FROM others

17. Crop-shared land USED by this operation

18. Other areas USED by this operation (land trading, rent-free, etc.)

19. TOTAL of questions 14 to 18

LAND AREA used by others

20. Area of land USED BY OTHERS (rented, leased or crop-shared TO others, land trading, rent-free, etc.)

NET AREA of this operation

21. Question 19 minus question 20. This is the NET AREA. (This is the area to be reported on throughout the questionnaire.)

STEP 8  Answer the following questions about HAY and FIELD CROPS grown on this operation.

• Include
  • all hay and field crops to be harvested or used as green manure in 2011, even if they were sown or planted in an earlier year;
  • all land to be seeded, even if not yet seeded.
• Report the areas only once, even if more than one crop will be harvested in 2011.
• Report vegetables in STEP 9 and fruits, berries and nuts in STEP 11.

Area in 2011

22. Wheat

• Spring wheat (Report durum wheat below.)
• Durum wheat
• Winter wheat (to be harvested in 2011)

23. Oats

24. Barley

25. Mixed grains

26. Corn

• Corn for grain (Report sweet corn in STEP 9.)
• Corn for silage, etc.

27. Rye

• Fall rye (to be harvested in 2011)
• Spring rye

28. Canola (rapeseed)

29. Soybeans

30. Flaxseed

31. Dry field peas (Report fresh green peas in STEP 9.)

32. Chick peas (including garbanzo beans)

33. Lentils

34. Dry white beans (navy and pea beans)

35. Other dry beans (pinto, kidney, cranberry beans, lima, etc.)

36. Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures for hay, silage, green feed, dehydrated alfalfa, etc.

37. All other tame hay and fodder crops for hay or silage (clover, sorghum, etc.) (Report pasture in STEP 12.)

38. Forage seed to be harvested in 2011 for seed (including turf grass seed) (Report sod in STEP 10.)

39. Potatoes

40. Mustard seed

41. Sunflowers (standard and dwarf varieties)

42. Canary seed

43. Ginseng

44. Buckwheat

45. Sugar beets

46. Caraway seed

47. Triticale

48. Other field crops (tobacco, hemp, spelt, coriander and other spices, etc.) — Specify:

49. TOTAL area of hay and field crops (Total of questions 22 to 48)

STEP 9  Are any VEGETABLES grown on this operation for sale?

• Report potatoes, dry field peas and field beans in STEP 8.
• Report greenhouse vegetables in STEP 20.
• No   - Go to STEP 10
• Yes  - Report the total area planted or to be planted in 2011.
         - Report in the same unit of measure as in STEP 6.

Example: An operation grows 7 1/3 acres of sweet corn for sale. This area would be reported as: 7 1/3

Area in 2011 (Fraction)

50. Sweet corn

51. Tomatoes

52. Cucumbers (all varieties)

53. Green peas (Report dry field peas in question 31, on page 5.)

54. Green and wax beans

55. Cabbage (Report Chinese cabbage below.)

56. Chinese cabbage

57. Cauliflower

58. Broccoli

59. Brussels sprouts

60. Carrots (including baby carrots)

61. Rutabagas and turnips

62. Beets

63. Radishes

64. Shallots and green onions

65. Dry onions, yellow, Spanish, cooking, etc.

66. Celery

67. Lettuce (all head and leaf varieties)

68. Spinach

69. Peppers

70. Pumpkins

71. Squash and zucchini

72. Asparagus, producing

73. Asparagus, non-producing

74. Other vegetables (herbs, rhubarb, melons, garlic, gourds, etc.) — Specify:

75. TOTAL area of vegetables (Total of questions 50 to 74)

STEP 10  Are any SOD, NURSERY PRODUCTS or CHRISTMAS TREES grown on this operation for sale?

• Report greenhouse products in STEP 20.
• No  - Go to STEP 11
• Yes  - Report the total area under cultivation in 2011.

Area in 2011

76. TOTAL area of SOD under cultivation for sale

77. TOTAL area of NURSERY products grown for sale (shrubs, trees, vines, ornamentals, bulbs, etc., grown out-of-doors)

78. TOTAL area of CHRISTMAS TREES grown for sale (Include naturally established or planted areas, regardless of stage of growth, that are pruned or managed with the use of fertilizer or pesticides.)

STEP 11  Are any FRUITS, BERRIES or NUTS grown on this operation for sale?

• No  - Go to STEP 12
• Yes  - Report in the same unit of measure as in STEP 6.

Area in 2011 (producing and non-producing) (Fraction)

79. Apples

80. Pears

81. Plums and prunes

82. Cherries (sweet)

83. Cherries (sour)

84. Peaches

85. Apricots

86. Grapes

87. Strawberries

88. Raspberries

89. Cranberries

90. Blueberries (highbush blueberries and wild blueberries grown on managed land)

91. Saskatoons

92. Other fruits, berries or nuts (nectarines, currants, blackberries, hazelnuts, etc.) — Specify:

93. TOTAL area of fruits, berries and nuts (Total of questions 79 to 92)

STEP 12

Area in 2011

94. Enter the NET AREA from question 21 on page 4

Report below how the area in question 94 is used.

95. Sum of all areas reported for field crops and hay, vegetables, sod, nursery products, Christmas trees, fruits, berries and nuts (Total of questions 49, 75, 76, 77, 78 and 93)

96. Summerfallow (Include chemfallow.)

97. Tame or seeded pasture (Do not include areas to be harvested for hay, silage or seed.)

98. Natural land for pasture (Include woodland used as pasture.)

99. Woodlands and wetlands (woodlots, sugarbush, tree windbreaks, bush, ponds, bogs, marshes, sloughs, etc.)

100. All other land (idle land, land on which farm buildings, barnyards, lanes, home gardens, greenhouses and mushroom houses are located)

101. TOTAL of questions 95 to 100 (This total should equal the NET AREA reported in question 94.)

STEP 13  If SUMMERFALLOW was reported in question 96, what is the area on which each of the following forms of weed control will be used in 2011?

Area in 2011

102.

• Chemfallow only
• Summerfallow, tilled only
• Chemical and tillage weed control on the same land (Do not include area already reported as "Chemfallow only" or "Summerfallow, tilled only.")

STEP 14  Indicate all PRACTICES and LAND FEATURES on this operation:(Fill in all applicable circles.)

103.

• Crop rotation
• In-field winter grazing or feeding
• Rotational grazing
• Plowing down green crops
• Winter cover crops
• Nutrient management planning
• Windbreaks or shelterbelts (natural or planted)
• Buffer zones around water bodies

STEP 15  For the LAND SEEDED or TO BE SEEDED, report the area of each of the following practices:

• Include the area that was prepared last fall or this spring.
• Do not include land in summerfallow this year.

Area

104.

• No-till seeding or zero-till seeding (Include direct seeding into undisturbed stubble or sod.)
• Tillage that retains most of the crop residue on the surface (Include minimum tillage.)
• Tillage that incorporates most of the crop residue into the soil

STEP 16  In 2010, what was the area from which crop residue (straw, stover, stalks) was BALED for bedding or sale?

• Include residue (straw) from small grains and oilseeds, and corn stalks.
• Do not include hay, corn silage or other forages.

Area in 2010

105. Report the area from which crop residue was baled in 2010

STEP 17  Were HERBICIDES, INSECTICIDES, FUNGICIDES, COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER or LIME used on this operation in 2010?

• Do not include greenhouse or mushroom areas.
• No  - Go to STEP 18
• Yes  - Report land areas only once for each input, even if there was more than one application in 2010.

106. Report the area of land on which each of the following inputs was used on this operation in 2010:

Area in 2010

• Herbicides
• Insecticides
• Fungicides
• Commercial fertilizer
• Lime

STEP 18  Was an IRRIGATION system used on this operation to apply water on land in 2010?

• Do not include
  • greenhouse or mushroom areas;
  • the area of land where only manure was applied by irrigation.
• No  - Go to STEP 19
• Yes

107. Report the area of land irrigated for each of the following in 2010:

Area in 2010

• Irrigated alfalfa, hay and pasture
• Irrigated field crops
• Irrigated vegetables
• Irrigated fruits
• Other irrigated areas (nursery, sod, etc.)

Specify:

STEP 19  Was MANURE used or produced on this operation in 2010?

• No  - Go to STEP 20
• Yes

108. Which of the following apply to the manure used or produced on this operation in 2010? (Fill in all applicable circles.)

• Applied on this operation
• Applied on land that was rented TO others
• Sold or given to others
• Bought or received FROM others
• Other (composted, processed, dried, stored, etc.)

Specify:

109. For manure applied on this operation in 2010, report the area of land for each method of application.

Area in 2010

• Manure spread naturally by grazing livestock
• Solid or composted manure, incorporated into soil
• Solid or composted manure, not incorporated
• Liquid manure, injected or incorporated into soil
• Liquid manure, not incorporated

STEP 20  Are any GREENHOUSE PRODUCTS grown on this operation for sale?

• Report sod, nursery products and Christmas trees in STEP 10.
• No  - Go to STEP 21
• Yes

110. Will the area be reported in square feet or square metres?

• square feet OR
• square metres

Area in 2011

111. TOTAL area under glass, plastic or other protection used for growing plants (Do not include area used for cold frames.)

Of this total, report the area on May 10, 2011 for each of the following:

112. Flowers (cut flowers, bedding and potted plants, etc.)

113. Greenhouse vegetables

114. Other greenhouse products (cuttings, tree seedlings, etc.)

Specify:

STEP 21  Are any MUSHROOMS grown on this operation for sale?

• No  - Go to STEP 22
• Yes

115. Will the area be reported in square feet or square metres?

• square feet OR
• square metres

Area in 2011

116. TOTAL growing area (standing footage) for mushrooms on May 10, 2011

STEP 22  Were any MAPLE TREES TAPPED on this operation in 2011?

• No  - Go to STEP 23
• Yes

Number of taps in 2011

117. TOTAL number of taps made on maple trees in the spring of 2011

STEP 23  Does this operation own any BEES for honey production or BEES for pollination?

• No  - Go to STEP 24
• Yes  - Report bees owned, regardless of location.

Number of colonies

118. On May 10, 2011, how many live colonies of honeybees (used for honey production or pollination) are owned by this operation?

Number

119. On May 10, 2011, how many other pollinating bees (leafcutter, blue orchard, bumble, etc.) are owned by this operation?

Select one unit of measure:

• Gallons or
• Number of bees or
• Colonies

STEP 24  Are there any POULTRY on this operation on May 10, 2011?

• No  - Go to STEP 25
• Yes  - Report all poultry on this operation, regardless of ownership, including those grown under contract.

- Include poultry for sale and poultry for personal use.

- Do not include poultry owned but kept on an operation operated by someone else.

Number of birds on May 10, 2011

Chickens for eggs

120. Pullets intended for laying table eggs, under 19 weeks

121. Laying hens that produce table eggs, 19 weeks and over

122. Layer and broiler breeders (pullets and hens)

Chickens for meat

123. Broilers, roasters and Cornish (Report breeders in question 122.)

124.TOTAL hens and chickens (Total of questions 120 to 123)

Other poultry

125. Turkeys (all ages)

126. Other poultry (geese, ducks, roosters, ostriches, emus, pheasants, quail, pigeons, etc.)

Specify:

STEP 25  In 2010, were any CHICKENS or TURKEYS produced on this operation for sale?

• No  - Go to STEP 26
• Yes  - Report the production on a live weight basis.

127. Will production be reported in kilograms or pounds?

• kilograms OR
• pounds

Production in 2010 (live weight)

128. Broilers, roasters and Cornish

129. Turkeys

STEP 26  In 2010, were any EGGS produced on this operation for sale?

• No  - Go to STEP 27
• Yes  - Report the number of dozens in 2010.

Dozens of eggs in 2010

130. Table eggs (dozens)

131. Hatching eggs (dozens)

STEP 27  Was there a COMMERCIAL POULTRY HATCHERY located on this operation in 2010?

• No  - Go to STEP 28
• Yes

Number of birds hatched in 2010

132. In 2010, how many chicks or other poultry were hatched?

STEP 28  Are there any LIVESTOCK on this operation on May 10, 2011?

• No  - Go to STEP 29
• Yes  - Report all animals on this operation, regardless of ownership, including those that are boarded, custom-fed or fed under contract.

- Include all animals kept by this operation, regardless of ownership, that are pastured on a community pasture, grazing co-op or public land.

- Do not include animals owned but kept on a farm, ranch or feedlot operated by someone else.

CATTLE OR CALVES

133. Are there any cattle or calves on this operation?

• No  - Go to question 140
• Yes

Number

134. Calves, under 1 year

135. Steers, 1 year and over

136. Heifers, 1 year and over:

• for slaughter or feeding
• for beef herd replacement
• for dairy herd replacement

137. Cows:

• mainly for beef purposes
• mainly for dairy purposes

138. Bulls, 1 year and over

139. TOTAL cattle and calves (Total of questions 134 to 138)

SHEEP OR LAMBS

140. Are there any sheep or lambs on this operation?

• No  - Go to question 145
• Yes

Number

141. Rams

142. Ewes

143. Lambs

144. TOTAL sheep and lambs (Total of questions 141 to 143)

PIGS

145. Are there any pigs on this operation?

• No  - Go to question 152
• Yes

Number

146. Boars

147. Sows and gilts for breeding

148. Nursing pigs

149. Weaner pigs

150. Grower and finishing pigs

151. TOTAL pigs (Total of questions 146 to 150)

OTHER LIVESTOCK

152. Are there any other livestock on this operation?

• No  - Go to STEP 29
• Yes  - Report animals of all ages unless otherwise specified.

Number

153. Horses and ponies

154. Goats

155. Llamas and alpacas

156. Rabbits

157. Bison (buffalo)

158. Elk

159. Deer (Do not include wild deer.)

160. Wild boars

161. Mink (Report breeding stock only.)

162. Other livestock (fox, donkeys, mules, chinchillas, etc.)

Specify:

STEP 29  Answer the following questions about the MARKET VALUE of land and buildings on this operation.

• Include
  • the value of all land and all structures such as houses, farm buildings, silos, etc., that are part of this operation;
  • the value of all fixed equipment such as bulk tanks, farrowing pens, etc., in farm buildings on this operation.
• Do not include the value of any land and buildings rented or leased TO others.

Present market value (dollars only)

163. Estimate the present market value of land and buildings that are:

• owned
• rented or leased FROM others or governments

STEP 30  Answer the following questions about FARM MACHINERY and EQUIPMENT that are owned or leased by this operation as of May 10, 2011.

• Include all farm machinery and equipment that are jointly owned or leased with a different operation.
• Do not include machinery that is rented on a short-term basis (hourly or daily rentals).

Example: An operation owns one baler, valued at $20,000, and shares ownership of another baler, valued at $10,000, equally with another operation. These two balers would be reported as:

1 1/2

25,000.00

Number owned and leased (Fraction)

Present market value (owned and leased)
(dollars only)

164. Tractors:

• under 60 p.t.o. hp. (including garden tractors, ATVs, etc.)
• 60 - 99 p.t.o. hp.
• 100 - 149 p.t.o. hp.
• over 149 p.t.o. hp.

165. Pick-ups and cargo vans

166. All other farm trucks

167. Cars and other passenger vehicles used in the farm business

168. Combines

169. Swathers and mower-conditioners

170. Balers

171. Forage harvesters

172. Tillage, cultivation, seeding and planting equipment

173. Irrigation equipment

174. All other farm machinery and equipment not reported above, such as elevators, wagons, manure spreaders, dryers, portable grinder-mixers, sprayers, harvesting equipment, workshop equipment, etc.

175. TOTAL present market value of all farm machinery and equipment (Total of questions 164 to 174)

STEP 31  Answer the following questions about the GROSS FARM RECEIPTS of this operation in 2010 (calendar year) or for the last complete accounting (fiscal) year.

• Account books or completed income tax forms, if available, are useful in completing this page.
• Report gross receipts (before deducting expenses).
• Include
  • receipts from all agricultural and forest products sold;
  • program payments and custom work receipts.
• Do not include
  • sales of capital items (quota, land, machinery, etc.);
  • receipts from the sale of any goods purchased only for retail sales.

Amount (dollars only)

176. What were the TOTAL gross farm receipts?

177. Of the above, what were the sales of firewood, pulpwood, logs, fence posts and pilings?

STEP 32  Answer the following questions about the OPERATING EXPENSES of this operation in 2010 (calendar year) or for the last complete accounting (fiscal) year.

• Include only the farm business share of amounts paid.
• Do not include costs of any goods purchased only for retail sales.

Amount (dollars only)

178. Fertilizer and lime

179. Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc.

180. Seed and plants (Do not include materials purchased for resale.)

181. Feed, supplements and hay

182. Livestock and poultry purchases

183. Veterinary services, drugs, semen, breeding fees, etc.

184. Custom work, contract work and hired trucking

185. Wages and salaries (including all employee benefits):

• paid to family members
• paid to all other persons

186. All fuel (diesel, gasoline, oil, wood, natural gas, propane, etc.)

187. Repairs and maintenance to farm machinery, equipment and vehicles

188. Repairs and maintenance to farm buildings and fences

189. Rental and leasing of land and buildings (including community pasture and grazing fees)

190. Rental and leasing of farm machinery, equipment and vehicles

191. Electricity, telephone and all other telecommunications services

192. Farm interest expenses (Do not include payment of principal or amount of debt outstanding.)

193. All other farm business operating expenses not reported above, such as property taxes, packaging materials, farm and crop insurance premiums, irrigation levies, legal and accounting fees, etc. (Do not include depreciation or capital cost allowance.)

194. TOTAL farm business operating expenses (Total of questions 178 to 193)

STEP 33  If any wages or salaries were paid in 2010, report the total number of employees and total number of weeks or hours of PAID WORK.

• Do not include custom or contract workers.

195. Paid on a year-round basis (full-time or part-time)

• Number of employees
• Paid work in 2010
  • Total weeks for all employees OR
  • Total hours for all employees

196. Paid on a seasonal or temporary basis

• Number of employees
• Paid work in 2010
  • Total weeks for all employees OR
  • Total hours for all employees

STEP 34  Is a COMPUTER used for this farm business?

Examples: Internet, bookkeeping, record keeping, banking, etc.

• No  - Go to STEP 35
• Yes

197. Is the Internet used for this farm business (marketing, checking weather or prices, etc.)?

• No  - Go to STEP 35
• Yes

198. Does this operation have high-speed Internet access?

• No
• Yes

STEP 35  Does this operation produce any ORGANIC products for sale?

• No  - Go to page 16
• Yes

199. What is the status of the organic products in 2011? (Fill in all applicable circles.)

• Certified by an organic certifying body
• Transitional (in the process of becoming certified)

200. Enter the name of the certifying body.

201. Report the status in 2011 for the organic products produced for sale. (Fill in all applicable circles.)

Organic products for sale

• Field crops (grains, oilseeds, etc.) or hay
  • Certified
  • Transitional
• Fruits, vegetables or greenhouse products
  • Certified
  • Transitional
• Animals or animal products (meat, dairy products, eggs, etc.)
  • Certified
  • Transitional
• Maple products
  • Certified
  • Transitional
• Herbs, spices or garlic
  • Certified
  • Transitional
• Other — Specify:
  • Certified
  • Transitional

Purpose of the Census of Agriculture

The Census of Agriculture provides the only comprehensive and integrated profile of the physical, economic, social and environmental aspects of Canada's agriculture industry. It is conducted every five years. Your answers are combined with those of other Canadian farmers to track trends, provide insight and measure the health of this vital industry. For instance:

• Census information on livestock counts, crop area and types of crops planted gives a historical picture of the changes in Canadian agriculture over time.
• The census collects information on minimum and no-till seeding, organic products, new crops or livestock and other innovations in agriculture.
• It tracks partnerships and corporations, computer use and major farm expenses to paint a statistical picture of the business of farming.

But why in May?

Statistics Canada recognizes that, for farmers, mid-May is one of the busiest times of the year as they rush to get crops in the ground. However, collecting the data at the same time as the Census of Population and combining public awareness campaigns — even though the two censuses are very different — streamlines procedures and saves millions of dollars.

Conducting the two together also provides the opportunity to show the human side of agriculture. When the two censuses are conducted at the same time, it is possible to provide information on the characteristics of the farm population such as family size, age and marital status.

Who uses Census of Agriculture data?

Census data give all players in agriculture an equally reliable source of information. Farm organizations, government departments, agriculture service providers and academics all depend on the Census of Agriculture to understand and respond to changes in agriculture.

Why not use tax data instead of asking financial questions?

Currently, it is necessary for respondents to provide business financial information for their agricultural operation on the Census of Agriculture questionnaire. However, Statistics Canada will use information provided on this form to study the feasibility of replacing the detailed operating expenses in STEP 32 by tax data. If successful, Statistics Canada will use tax data in the 2016 Census of Agriculture to reduce the response burden for farmers.

The law protects what you tell us

The confidentiality of your census responses is protected by law. All Statistics Canada employees have taken an oath of secrecy. Your personal census information cannot be given to anyone outside Statistics Canada without your consent. This is your right.

Your census information will be retained in accordance with legislative requirements and will be stored securely. You can ask to see the information you gave on your 2011 Census of Agriculture questionnaire after November 2011. To do this, write to the Privacy Coordinator, Statistics Canada, 25th Floor, R.H. Coats Building, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6. To discuss your concerns about the Census of Agriculture, contact the Ombudsman for business response burden at STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca or at 1-877-777-2011.

COMMENTS

If you have any questions on the Census of Agriculture, call us free of charge, 1-877-777-2011.

Please mail your questionnaire today.

Thank you for your co-operation.

• The Statistics Act
• Data security
• Privacy and the Internet
• Confidentiality procedures

The Statistics Act

The Statistics Act requires that all census information be kept confidential. All Statistics Canada employees have taken an oath of secrecy. The confidentiality of your personal census information is your right and it cannot be given to anyone outside Statistics Canada. Your census questionnaire will be retained in accordance with legislative requirements and stored securely.

Data security

Because the security of your information is of paramount importance to Statistics Canada, census data are stored on Statistics Canada systems that are isolated from any other network. External devices, such as telephone dial-in services that connect to Statistics Canada's confidential data storage systems, are not permitted, making it impossible to break into Statistics Canada's databases.

In addition, Statistics Canada's premises have controlled access so that only persons with the appropriate security clearance who have taken the oath of secrecy can enter facilities housing confidential data. Anyone from outside Statistics Canada needing entrance to these premises is escorted by a Statistics Canada employee at all times. Only Statistics Canada employees see your Census of Agriculture questionnaire and data.

Privacy and the Internet

Statistics Canada takes the protection of confidential information provided online very seriously. A secure login process and strong encryption are key elements in helping to prevent anyone from accessing or tampering with your census information when you complete and send it online.

Confidentiality procedures

Statistics Canada places the highest priority on maintaining the confidentiality of information from individual census questionnaires at all stages of the census process. All tabulated data are subject to confidentiality procedures, including a series of computerized checks on each data table to suppress any data that may identify a particular agricultural operation or individual. In all cases complementary data are also suppressed so that aggregate subtotals and totals in each table can be published. Data for geographic areas with very few agricultural operations are not released separately, but are merged with data from one or more geographically adjacent areas.

Cover page
Step 1. Important instructions to the recipient of the questionnaire (on the cover page)
Step 2. Operator identification (name, address, phone number) for up to three operators per farm
Step 3. Operator information
Step 4. Operating arrangements
Step 5. Main farm location
Step 6. Unit of measure
Step 7. Workable and non-workable land (land tenure)
Step 8. Hay and field crops
Step 9. Vegetables
Step 10. Sod, nursery products and Christmas trees
Step 11. Fruits, berries or nuts
Step 12. Land use
Step 13. Weed control on summerfallow land
Step 14. Practices and land features
Step 15. Tillage practices for land seeded or to be seeded
Step 16. Area from which crop residue was baled
Step 17. Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, commercial fertilizers and lime
Step 18. Irrigation
Step 19. Manure
Step 20. Greenhouse products
Step 21. Mushrooms
Step 22. Maple tree taps
Step 23. Bees
Step 24. Poultry inventories
Step 25. Chicken and turkey production
Step 26. Eggs
Step 27. Commercial poultry hatcheries
Step 28. Livestock
Step 29. Market value of land and buildings
Step 30. Farm machinery and equipment
Step 31. Total gross farm receipts
Step 32. Operating expenses
Step 33. Paid work
Step 34. Computer use
Step 35. Organic products
Back page

Cover page

• For the first time, the Census of Agriculture will be full mail-out/mail-back; therefore the cover page of the 2011 Census of Agriculture questionnaire no longer has spaces for field enumerators to fill out.
• For the first time the name and address of the farm operator is stamped on the cover page. Since it comes from Statistics Canada's Farm Register the front page no longer defines who should complete the questionnaire by listing agriculture commodities offered for sale; it is assumed that the address correctly identifies an agriculture operator.
• Step 1 now appears on the cover page.
• The statement, “You have the option to complete this questionnaire on the Internet or on paper” that began the Internet or paper instructions in 2006 has been replaced by “How to complete the questionnaire.”
• Internet instruction 1 no longer states “and follow the instructions.”
• Internet instruction 2 now refers to the “secure access code” rather than the “Internet access code.”

Step 1. Important instructions to the recipient of the questionnaire (on the cover page)

• New step. The instructions appearing in Step 1 have been modified from the 2006 cover page and were not previously identified as a step. Recipients are now reminded to return the completed questionnaire by mail and are encouraged to return any extra questionnaires received for the same operation in the separate, postage-paid envelope provided.

Step 2. Operator identification (name, address, phone number) for up to three operators per farm

• Formerly Step 1.
• The first operator is no longer asked to provide an e-mail address but an alternative telephone number instead.
• The address line (number and road or street name, R.R. No., P.O. Box No.) is now called “Mailing address” rather than simply “Address.”

Step 3. Operator information

• Formerly Step 2.
• The option of “on average 20 to 40 hours per week” has been broken out into “on average, 20 to 29 hours per week” and “on average, 30 to 40 hours per week.”
• Step 3 on the 2006 questionnaire asked about any farm-related injuries requiring medical attention to operators, other family members and other persons. This step has been removed entirely from the questionnaire.

Step 4. Operating arrangements

• Respondents can now “Enter the Business Number (GST/HST) issued by Canada Revenue Agency for this agricultural operation.”
• Minor wording changes to the components of the step do not reflect a change in content.
• Respondents are directed to the comment box at the end of the questionnaire if more space is needed to describe the operating arrangements of their operation. In 2006 the comment box was incorporated into the step.

Step 5. Main farm location

• Formerly Step 7.
• Different types of land descriptions were entered into a single box in 2006; respondents are now given space to enter the civic address of the main farm location (number, road or street, name of village, town, city or municipality and province). If the main farm location is in the Prairies, space is provided to enter the quarter, section, township, range and meridian.

Step 6. Unit of measure

• No content changes.

Step 7. Workable and non-workable land (land tenure)

• Formerly Step 8.
• Clarifies the concept of crop-sharing by asking for “crop-shared land used by this operation” rather than “crop-shared FROM others.”
• Wording has been streamlined to emphasize that a sum of the parts is required in questions requiring a total.
• A total for “area of land used by others” (examples provided are rented, leased or crop-shared to others, land trading, rent-free, etc.) replaces three subsection totals plus an overall total.
• “Net area of this operation” replaces “total land area operated by this operation.”

Step 8. Hay and field crops

• Formerly Step 9.
• “Spring wheat” no longer lists the other wheat types to include, but reminds respondents to report “Durum wheat” in the space below.
• “Flaxseed” does not stipulate that “solin” should be reported in the “other field crops” category.
• “Tobacco” is no longer a stand-alone field crop, but is an example of a crop to include in the “other field crops” category.
• There are now four fields in which to report “other field crops.” New examples of other field crops to report are tobacco, hemp and spelt. Solin and safflower were removed.
• In 2006, Step 10 asked respondents to report the percentage of spring seeding or planting completed. This step has been removed.

Step 9. Vegetables

• Formerly Step 11.
• No content changes.

Step 10. Sod, nursery products and Christmas trees

• Formerly Step 12.
• Wording stipulates that the total area of nursery products reported should be “grown for sale.”

Step 11. Fruits, berries or nuts

• Formerly Step 13.
• The example showing how to report producing and non-producing area has been removed.
• Crab apples are no longer an example in the “other fruits, berries or nuts” category, nor are they excluded from the “apple” category.
• Examples of blueberries to be reported are “highbush blueberries and wild blueberries grown on managed land” rather than “cultivated highbush and lowbush, and lowbush grown on managed land.”
• New examples of “other fruits, berries or nuts” are “currants” and “blackberries.” “Loganberries” was removed.

Step 12. Land use

• Formerly Step 14.
• In an effort to clarify that the area reported in this section should equal the net area reported in Step 7 (land tenure), question 94 instructs the respondent to “enter the net area” reported in Step 7.
• The next instruction, “Report below how the area in question 94 is used,” emphasizes that the area reported is the land used by this operation.
• Question 95 asks the respondent for the “sum of all areas reported for field crops and hay, vegetables, sod, nursery products, Christmas trees, fruits, berries and nuts (total of questions 49, 75, 76, 77, 78 and 93)” which is much more detail than was asked for in 2006, though the intent remains the same—total land devoted to crops.
• Question 98, “natural land for pasture,” stipulates that “woodland used as pasture” should be included.
• Question 101 asks simply for the total of questions 95 to 100 and in parentheses again reminds the respondent that the components of land use should equal the net area reported in question 94. A large black arrow directs the respondent to the appropriate field in which to enter the sum.

Step 13. Weed control on summerfallow land

• Formerly Step 15.
• No content changes.

Step 14. Practices and land features

• Formerly Step 20.
• Two new practices were added: “in-field winter grazing or feeding” and “nutrient management planning.”

Step 15. Tillage practices for land seeded or to be seeded

• Formerly Step 22.
• A new directive was added to further clarify the concept: “Do not include land in summerfallow this year.”

Step 16. Area from which crop residue was baled

• New step.
• Asks respondents to report the area from which crop residue (straw, stover, stalks) was baled for bedding or sale in 2010.

Step 17. Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, commercial fertilizers and lime

• Formerly Step 19.
• An instruction was added adjacent to the Yes option: “Report land areas only once for each input, even if there was more than one application in 2010.”

Step 18. Irrigation

• Formerly Step 23.
• Alfalfa was added to the option “Irrigated alfalfa, hay and pasture.”

Step 19. Manure

• Formerly Step 21.
• In question 108, where respondents indicate how manure was used or produced on this operation in 2010 the option “Applied on land that was rented TO others” was added.
• Question 109 now asks respondents to report the area on which manure is applied but not how that land is used.
• The options for application methods now include “manure spread naturally by grazing livestock.” “Liquid manure applied by irrigation” was removed.
• The solid and composted manure options were combined.

Step 20. Greenhouse products

• Formerly step 16.
• No content changes.

Step 21. Mushrooms

• Formerly Step 17.
• No content changes.

Step 22. Maple tree taps

• Formerly Step 18.
• No content changes.

Step 23. Bees

• Formerly Step 24.
• No content changes.

Step 24. Poultry inventories

• Formerly Step 25.
• The step has two new subsections—“chickens for eggs” and “chickens for meat” replacing the subsection “hens and chickens.” Within the “chickens for eggs” subsection the questions have had wording modifications to stipulate whether pullets and laying hens are intended for laying “table eggs” or for breeding. In the subsection “chickens for meat” the question asks respondents to “report breeders in question 122” if they are reporting “broilers, roasters and Cornish.”
• Examples of “other poultry” now include “pigeons” and no longer include “wild turkeys.” Respondents can now specify three “other poultry” types instead of two.

Step 25. Chicken and turkey production

• Formerly Step 26.
• Questions 128 and 129 ask respondents to report live weight production of chickens and turkeys but the extra instruction, “in 2005, what was the total production of:” has been removed.

Step 26. Eggs

• New step.
• Respondents are asked, “In 2010, were any EGGS produced on this operation for sale” stipulating for “table eggs (dozens)” and “hatching eggs (dozens).”

Step 27. Commercial poultry hatcheries

• No content changes.

Step 28. Livestock

• “Nursing pigs” and “weaner pigs” are now stand-alone questions, whereas in 2006 they were reported together.
• In question 152 (other livestock) an instruction was added: “Report animals of all ages unless otherwise specified.”
• “Rabbits” replaced “fox” as a stand-alone question.
• Mink stipulates that the respondent should “report breeding stock only.”
• “Rabbits” was removed and “fox” was added to the examples in the “other livestock—specify” section.

Step 29. Market value of land and buildings

• No content changes.

Step 30. Farm machinery and equipment

• The subheading “farm trucks” was removed. “Pick-ups and cargo vans” and “all other farm trucks” are still reported as stand-alone questions.
• Question 174, “All other farm machinery and equipment not reported above...” now includes the following examples: elevators, wagons, manure spreaders, dryers, portable grinder-mixers, sprayers, harvesting equipment, workshop equipment, etc.

Step 31. Total gross farm receipts

• Formerly Step 32.
• The suggestion “Account books or completed income tax forms, if available, are useful in completing this page” has been added.

Step 32. Operating expenses

• Formerly Step 31.
• The suggestion “Account books or completed income tax forms, if available, are useful in completing this page” was removed.
• Examples used to clarify “all other farm business operating expenses” now include “farm and crop insurance premiums.”
• The question “what percentage of feed, supplements and hay purchases was purchased from feed mills, feed dealers, or other wholesalers and retailers of feed” has been removed.

Step 33. Paid work

• This step was completely modified.
• Respondents should now report the number of employees employed on a year-round basis (either full-time or part-time) or on a seasonal or temporary basis. And, as in 2006 but in a different format, the total number of weeks or total number of hours of paid work for all employees should also be reported.
• The instruction “do not include custom or contract workers” was added.

Step 34. Computer use

• This step was completely modified.
• Examples of computer use (bookkeeping, record keeping, banking, Internet, etc.) are provided rather than asking the respondent to select the applications used.
• In question 197 respondents are asked if the Internet is used for the farm business, with examples “marketing, checking weather or prices, etc.” provided as a guide.
• Question 198 asks if the operation has high-speed Internet access.

Step 35. Organic products

• Formerly Step 5.
• Now specifies “ORGANIC” products for sale rather than “certified or non-certified” ORGANIC products for sale.
• In question 199 the status option “transitional” was clarified by adding, “in the process of becoming certified.” The “organic but not certified” status was removed.
• In question 201, the option to report “organic but not certified” products for sale was removed. “Herbs, spices or garlic” was added as a stand-alone option, and the example of “herbs” was removed from the “other—specify” box.

Back page

• The first paragraph on the back page was modified. It is now called “Purpose of the Census of Agriculture” and reads:
• • “The Census of Agriculture provides the only comprehensive and integrated profile of the physical, economic, social and environmental aspects of Canada's agriculture industry. It is conducted every five years. Your answers are combined with those of other Canadian farmers to track trends, provide insight and measure the health of this vital industry. For instance:

• Census information on livestock counts, crop area and types of crops planted give a historical picture of the changes in Canadian agriculture over time.
• The census collects information on minimum and no-till seeding, organic products, new crops or livestock and other innovations in agriculture.
• It tracks partnerships and corporations, computer use and major farm expenses to paint a statistical picture of the business of farming.”

• A new question, “Why not use tax data instead of asking financial questions?” was added with the answer, “Currently, it is necessary for respondents to provide business financial information for their agricultural operation on the Census of Agriculture questionnaire. However, Statistics Canada will use information provided on this form to study the feasibility of replacing the detailed operating expenses in STEP 32 by tax data. If successful, Statistics Canada will use tax data in the 2016 Census of Agriculture to reduce the response burden for farmers.”

• Getting and returning your questionnaire
• New on the questionnaire

Getting and returning your questionnaire

In 2011, for the first time, all farm operations received their questionnaires by mail through Canada Post rather than through a local enumerator. Operators either mailed back the form directly to Statistics Canada in the National Capital Region or completed and submitted an electronic form on the Internet.

New on the questionnaire

Many questions on the 2011 questionnaire were modified slightly from 2006 and are described in detail in the frequently asked questions. Some highlights are:

• Business Number: A question has been added to request the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business Number for the agricultural operation. In addition, a brief explanation of the intent of this question has been added to the back cover of the questionnaire. Using this data, a pilot project will evaluate the feasibility of replacing the financial information asked in Step 32 with CRA tax data, which could significantly reduce the response burden for farmers.
• Paid work: The number of employees working full or part time has been added in order to provide a measure of the number of people working on farms. This will significantly add to the picture of agricultural labour when coupled with the established questions on the number of hours or weeks of paid work on farms.
• Crop residue: A new step has been added to request the area from which crop residue was baled. This is an environmentally relevant question, as crop residue management affects erosion rates, contamination of surface and groundwater, greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon sequestration.
• Practices and land features: Two new questions have been added to identify agricultural operations involved in "in-field winter grazing or feeding" and "nutrient management planning." These questions will provide more comprehensive data on farmers' adoption of environmental management techniques.
• Internet: A question on access to high-speed Internet has been added in order to evaluate the accessibility of respondents to services provided by Internet. This will assist agriculture service providers in the public and private sectors in planning service delivery to farmers.
• Farm-related injuries: These questions were removed because better quality data are available from alternative sources.
• Organic but not certified: This category was removed in order to reflect the new regulations on the use of the term "organic."

How the Census of Agriculture began

The British North America (BNA) Act of 1867 determined that a census would be taken every 10 years starting in 1871. However, rapid expansion in Western Canada at the turn of the last century made a more frequent census necessary. Starting in 1896, a separate Census of Agriculture was taken every five years in Manitoba, and in Alberta and Saskatchewan beginning in 1906.

Expansion of the Census of Agriculture

By 1956, rapid economic growth and development created the need for both national demographic and agricultural information at more frequent intervals. In 1956, the five-year Census of Agriculture was extended to the entire country, and the Census of Population became a regular enumeration every five years. That year the two started a long tradition of being conducted concurrently.

Relationship between the Census of Agriculture and the Census of Population

Although the Census of Agriculture and the Census of Population are conducted at the same time, they do have separate questionnaires. Most of the development, testing, processing, data validation and preparation for disseminating data for the Census of Agriculture and the Census of Population is handled by different groups within Statistics Canada. However, collecting the data and sharing communications activities for both censuses streamlines procedures and reduces costs considerably. Another important benefit of conducting the two together is that information from the two questionnaires can be linked to create the Census of Agriculture–Population Linkage database. This unique database, started in 1971, provides users with information pertaining to the social characteristics of the farm population.

• User consultations
• Evaluating the suggestions
• Questionnaire content and development

User consultations

Planning for the next census begins even before the current census cycle is finished. A series of workshops were held across Canada in 2007 with users and stakeholders such as federal departments and provincial ministries, agricultural associations, academics and agriculture service providers. Users subsequently submitted recommendations for the types of questions they would like to see on the 2011 Census questionnaire. The recommendations received through these submissions were used to develop the content and design of the census questionnaire.

Evaluating the suggestions

Before going any further, the submitted recommendations had to meet certain criteria before being judged suitable for inclusion in the Census of Agriculture:

• Is this topic of national interest?
• Are data worthwhile at more detailed geographic levels than provincial or national?
• Will farmers easily understand the question?
• Can the question be answered—that is, do the farm operators have the information to answer the question?
• Will farm operators be willing to answer it?
• Will there be a broad demand for the data generated by the question?
• Can the question be answered by either “Yes,” “No,” or a quantitative response?

Questionnaire content and development

Although the questionnaire is updated every census to reflect users' changing requirements as identified through the submission process, certain questions appear on every census. These questions—such as those on farm operators, land area, livestock numbers and crop areas—are considered essential by Statistics Canada and other major users of Census of Agriculture data. Repeating basic questions allows the census to measure change over time, while adding new questions and dropping others allows data to be collected that reflect new technologies and structural changes in the agriculture industry. For example, the questions on manure management practices were tested and improved to reflect operators' use and understanding of farming terms and practices on operations today. Other sections also modified and refined were those on land use, hours of work on and off the farm, area for which crop residue was baled, poultry, wages and salaries, computer use and organic production.

New or changed questions were developed in Head Office in consultation with industry experts and tested a number of times with farm operators across Canada through one-on-one interviews on their farms and in focus groups. Farm operators selected for testing reflected regional diversity—in types of agriculture, production techniques, farm size, language and age. This testing proved that some questions would not perform well on the census, and that the wording of other questions would require fine-tuning. Respondent burden, content-testing results, user priorities and budgets were all taken into consideration in determining the final content of the 2011 Census of Agriculture questionnaire. It was approved by Cabinet in the spring of 2010.

• Data capture
• Edit, follow-up and imputation
• Data validation
• Data security

Data capture

The Census of Agriculture and Census of Population questionnaires went their separate ways once they arrived at the Data Operations Centre in the National Capital Region. There they were sorted, electronically scanned and the data automatically captured using Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) software, a technology that reads data from images. Any responses not recognized by the ICR process were sent to a Statistics Canada employee who viewed the questionnaire image and entered the correct data into the system. Questionnaires completed and submitted on the Internet also went to the Data Operations Centre.

Edit, follow-up and imputation

Once the data were captured, they were loaded to an automated processing system that took them through detailed edit, follow-up and imputation processes. First the data were subjected to many rigorous quality control and processing edits to identify and resolve problems related to inaccurate, missing or inconsistent data. Those records with problems that could not be resolved in editing received a telephone call from a Statistics Canada employee to collect the missing or incomplete data. Finally, those situations that couldn't be resolved through either edit or follow-up were handled by an imputation procedure that replaced each missing or inconsistent response either with a value consistent with the other data on the questionnaire or with a response obtained from a similar agricultural operation.

Data validation

Data validation followed the edit, follow-up and imputation processes. At this stage, Statistics Canada analysts reviewed the aggregate data at various geographic levels and examined the individual values, large and small, reported for each variable. The data were compared with previous census results, current agricultural surveys and administrative sources. Errors remaining due to coverage, misreporting, data capture or other reasons were identified and corrected. Where necessary, respondents were contacted to verify their responses. Near the end of the validation process, certification reports, containing results of the analysis and recommendations for publication, were prepared and presented to a review committee.

Data security

The security of your information is of paramount importance to Statistics Canada. Census data are stored on Statistics Canada systems that are isolated from any other network. External devices, such as telephone dial-in services that connect to Statistics Canada's confidential data storage systems, are not permitted, making it impossible to break into Statistics Canada's databases.

In addition, Statistics Canada's premises have controlled access so that only persons with the appropriate security clearance who have taken the oath of secrecy can enter facilities housing confidential data. Anyone from outside Statistics Canada needing entrance to these premises is escorted by a Statistics Canada employee at all times. Only Statistics Canada employees see your Census of Agriculture questionnaire and data.

• Data collection began in May
• Options for completing the Census of Agriculture
• The Census Help Line
• The Census of Agriculture and the Internet
• Internet security—completing your questionnaire online
• Census follow-up

Data collection began in May

Conducting the Census of Agriculture jointly with the Census of Population in mid-May helps streamline collection procedures and saves millions of dollars. In 2011, most Census of Population forms and all Census of Agriculture forms were delivered to households and farm operations by Canada Post.

A question on the Census of Population questionnaire was used to identify farm operators who may have been missed. Head Office might have followed up with a phone call to help the operator fill out the questionnaire.

All Census of Agriculture respondents were asked to mail back their completed questionnaires in the pre-addressed, postage-paid envelopes provided.

Options for completing the Census of Agriculture

The questionnaires were either completed and submitted through the Internet or on paper and mailed back to Statistics Canada's Data Operations Centre for data capture. (For more information please see Data processing.) Farm operators could also complete the form on the phone by calling the toll-free Census Help Line.

The Census Help Line

A Census Help Line was a toll-free telephone service that respondents could call during the collection period to obtain assistance in completing the questionnaire.

The Census of Agriculture and the Internet

In 2011 the option of completing the Census of Population or Census of Agriculture questionnaires over the Internet was offered once again. Both the agriculture and population questionnaires used a single portal, or entry point. Instructions for accessing the website address and the Internet forms were included on the paper questionnaires delivered to respondents, as was the unique secure access code that respondents used to access the electronic questionnaire. This authenticated users and confirmed that a questionnaire was received from that household. The Internet version also included navigational aids, drop-down menus, help pages and online edits.

Internet security—completing your questionnaire online

Statistics Canada takes the protection of confidential information provided online very seriously. A secure login process and strong encryption were key elements in helping to prevent anyone from accessing or tampering with your census information when you completed and sent it online.

Census follow-up

Once the data were collected and captured, Statistics Canada employees edited or checked them for completeness. Any questionnaire with missing or incomplete data was followed up by telephone. A non-response telephone follow-up was required when questionnaires were not returned within a certain period of time.