Agriculture Industry in Canada

Supporting Canadian Agriculture Families

Food is essential to our survival and provides us with the nutrients we need to grow, be active and stay healthy. It is also our medicine, bringing people together to celebrate, mourn, connect, and communicate. In a very real sense, food is a universal language.

We show love through food and learn about cultures, traditions and history while enjoying cuisines from other countries abroad. Think of a local holiday or social event, and some kind of food festival likely comes to mind. We get all that food from our farmers and agriculture sector, of course.

Canada is lucky to be one of the few countries globally that grows more food than it needs. The rest gets exported to buyers abroad who don't have the same abundance of agricultural resources as we do. As the second largest country in the world, our country is blessed with vast fertile farmland in various regions from coast to coast. Our prairies, for example, are considered as one of the most productive farming regions in the world.

Thanks to Canadian farmers, countless millions of families here in Canada and elsewhere abroad have access to nutritious food. One thing is certain: without our agricultural sector, the world would be a much hungrier place.

Canada's Agriculture Industry

Canada’s agriculture sector isn’t just a critically important part of our national economy – it’s a way of life for countless Canadians from coast to coast. In fact, an incredible 2.3 million people are employed by Canada’s entire agri-food system, providing 1 in 9 jobs nationwide ^[1]. It generates a massive $150 billion in economic activity for Canadians annually – around 7% of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Today, Canada is the eighth-largest global exporter of agricultural goods behind the United States, Brazil, Netherlands, Germany, China, France, and Spain. We export food products to more than 200 countries globally ^[1] – basically, the entire world. In other words, our contribution to global food security is essential, and in many respects, irreplaceable.

And with our vast, productive farmlands found in almost every corner of the country, we can do more. As the world’s population approaches 10 billion by 2050, demand for Canadian-made agricultural products will grow.

Canada must have the necessary support in place for industry to help our country meet the growing food demand globally. This includes building new ports, railways, roads, and other critical trade infrastructure that will help us diversify our markets and maximize the value of our natural resources. It also includes supporting the development of new technology and innovation that will help increase crop yields, expand production capacities, and ensure our farms are adequately staffed, among other initiatives. A thriving agriculture and agri-food sector is what Canadians need to support a prosperous and food-secure future for our country – and the world.

Canadian Agriculture: Quick Facts

Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry employed 2.3 million people in 2023, accounting for 1 in 9 jobs across Canada ^[1]
The entire food system generated $150 billion of Canada’s GDP in 2023 ^[1]
Canada is home to 189,874 farms, which cover 62.2 million hectares of land – or 6.2% of Canada’s total land surface area ^[1]
A majority of Canadian farms are concentrated across the Prairies, Quebec and Southern Ontario ^[1]
Canada’s food and beverage processing sector is the largest manufacturing sector in Canada in terms of both GDP and employment, accounting for:
- 16.5% of manufacturing GDP
- 17.8% of manufacturing jobs
Canada exported nearly $99.1 billion in agriculture and food products in 2023, ranking as the world’s eighth-largest exporter of agri-food, fish, and seafood products ^[1]
Canada plays a big role in helping to feed the entire world; in 2023, it exported agricultural products to more than 200 countries ^[1]
The United States is Canada’s top agricultural trading partner, accounting for 60% of our agri-food exports and more than 50% of our imports ^[1]
Canadians spent $198 billion on food, beverage, tobacco and cannabis products in 2023, representing the third-largest household expenditure after shelter and transportation ^[1]
About 10% of the world’s population did not have enough food as of 2023. With the global population likely to add another billion people over the next two decades and incomes rising, total food consumption could rise by more than 50%, and possibly by 70% by 2050 ^[2].
Canada ranks at the top in the world for safe food production and distribution throughout the food supply chain ^[3]
Without modern farming practices, Canadian farmers would need 50% more land to grow the amount of food we do today ^[4]

Let’s Support Canadian Agriculture

i love agriculture banner 2

Canada Action's agriculture advocacy - or “Agvocacy” - promotes public and government support for farmers in many ways, including:

Recognizing the role and accomplishments of farmers for the economy at large
Supporting the continued competitiveness of Canadian agricultural products in a world market
Encouraging investments that support improvements in Canadian agricultural production
Promoting balanced, fact-based, and non-partisan discussions about the agriculture sector, highlighting Canada’s integral role in underpinning global food security

Agriculture in Canada is an integral part of the Canadian community and economy, supporting millions of families nationwide. With growing global demand for food increasing each year, we must continue to support agriculture innovation and growth in Canada.

Canadian farmers feed not just our families, but the world!

We have to have each other’s backs.

That includes being there for the families who produce our food, energy, mining, and forestry products.

Natural resources are an irreplaceable and outsized contributor to the economic prosperity of our country. pic.twitter.com/ce1gYNIrhW
— Canada Action (@CanadaAction) April 4, 2025