Farming & Agri-Food in Alberta: 25 Facts & Statistics

Farming & Agri-Food in Alberta: 25 Facts & Statistics

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Alberta is often thought of as an oil-rich province with stunning golden prairies and breathtaking panoramic mountain landscapes. However, what many people overlook is that it is also a significant agricultural powerhouse.

Farming in Alberta has been happening for well over a century. With its nutrient-rich soil, the province is now a leading producer of canola, wheat, dry peas, barley and cattle, and is expanding its food processing capabilities. Alberta's arable lands, extensive irrigation network, and abundance of sunshine make it an ideal region to produce agricultural products of all sorts. And with all that farmland comes enormous economic benefits. Today, more than 56,700 people are employed by the province’s agricultural sector, accounting for 16% of Canada’s direct agriculture workforce.

From the Calgary Stampede to other festivals across the province, it's clear that Albertans take pride in their past, present and future ties to agriculture. Below are several facts on farming in Alberta that should bring you up to speed on just how vital the sector is for local families and governments.

494 milk producing farms in alberta

25 Facts on Agriculture & Agri-Food in Alberta

#1 - Alberta’s agricultural and agri-food sector is foundational to the provincial economy, contributing $10.3 billion in GDP in 2023 and employing 83,000 Albertans [3]

#2 - In some areas of Alberta, like in the Camrose-Drumheller economic region, primary agriculture accounts for about 10% of total employment [2]

#3 - Alberta is home to more than 49 million acres of farmland in 2021, representing 32% of the total farm area in Canada [4]

#4 - The agri-food sector’s contribution to Alberta’s economic output is larger than, for example, the information and cultural industries sector, the accommodation and food services sector, the utilities sector, and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector [2]

#5 - At $17.7 billion, exports from Alberta’s agri-food sector accounted for 10% of the value of Alberta’s international merchandise exports in 2023; excluding oil and gas extraction and petroleum refining sectors, its share increases to 38% [2]

#6 - Alberta’s top agri-food markets in 2023 included the United States ($4.911 billion), China ($2.347 billion), Japan ($1.291 billion), EU ($736 million), Mexico ($453 million), and South Korea ($234 million) [3]

#7 - In 2023, food manufacturing in Alberta generated about $2 billion a month (or $24 billion annualized) in revenue, or over 23% of the province’s manufacturing sales [2]

#8 - Alberta has the third-largest food and beverage manufacturing sector in Canada after Ontario and Quebec [2]

#9 - Alberta exports the third largest amount of agricultural products in Canada after Ontario and Saskatchewan [2]

#10 - As of 2023, Alberta was home to about 195 commercial greenhouses, demonstrating an established greenhouse business sector, primarly concentrated in Red Deer (22%), Edmonton (20%), and Medicine Hat (18%) [3]

#11 - Alberta’s facilities occupy an area of approximately 348 acres (140 hectares), translating to about 15.2 million square feet, or 1.41 million square meters of greenhouse space [3]

#12 - Beef farming is the largest agricultural employer in Alberta, accounting for 25% of the workforce, followed by grain and oilseed, employing 18% [1]

780 million eggs produced by egg-farming families in alberta in 2021

#13 - Alberta is one of the world’s top beef exporters, with $3.9 billion in beef exported internationally in 2023 [3]

#14 - Alberta is also a leading exporter of wheat, with an average of 9.2 million tonnes shipped to 70 countries abroad every year [3]

#15 - Alberta produces 28.5% of Canada’s total canola, and Canada is the #1 exporter of canola seeds in the world [3]

#16 - Alberta produces 28.4% of Canada’s wheat, and Canada is the third top exporter of wheat after Australia and the United States [3]

#17 - Alberta produces 26.8% of Canada’s pulses (peas, beans, faba beans, chick peas and lentils at 1.7 million tonnes) [3]

#18 - Alberta produces more than half, or 52.19% of Canada’s barley, and Canada is the world’s fifth largest exporter of barley [3]

#19 - Alberta is home to approximately 72.7% of the irrigated farmland in Canada [3]

#20 - Roughly 5% of Alberta’s agriculture workers are foreign; over 40% of foreign workers employed in Alberta work in the greenhouse and nursery industry [1]

#21 - Half of Alberta’s agriculture employers were unable to hire all the workers they needed in 2022, leading to cancelled expansions and lost sales [1]

#22 - Approximately 2,600 AG jobs went unfilled at peak season in 2022, showing a need for workers [1]

#23 - Alberta is home to more than 22 research and innovation facilities specializing in crops and cereals, poultry and swine research, agronomy, biomaterials, and food safety [3]

#24 - Nearly 40% of Alberta’s domestic agriculture workforce is expected to retire between 2023 and 2030, creating a significant need for new workers [1]

#25 - Foreign workers will be increasingly relied upon in Alberta’s AG sector, filling 61% of the peak domestic labour gap by 2030 [1]

number of farms in alberta - 40,600

Alberta’s Farming Future

Farming in Alberta is poised for significant growth, driven by increasing global demand for high-quality grains, beef, and pulses. With the expansion of irrigated land, particularly in southern Alberta, farm producers can diversify their crops and increase yields, making the region more competitive in both domestic and international markets. Investment in agricultural technology—such as precision seeding and automated equipment—is further boosting efficiency and increasing production levels.

Major agribusinesses are eyeing Alberta for new processing facilities, as seen with recent announcements of canola crushing plants and beef packing expansions. This growth is expected to create thousands of new jobs and bolster rural economies throughout the province.

As infrastructure improves and access to global markets expands via upgraded transportation corridors, Alberta's agricultural sector is set to experience ongoing expansion in the coming years.

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