Farming in Newfoundland & Labrador: 15 Facts

Farming in Newfoundland & Labrador: 15 Facts

Farming in Newfoundland Labrador Facts Statistics

Did you know that Newfoundland and Labrador is home to over 400 farms, and of these, nearly a quarter are vegetable and melon producers?!

Who would have thought that the Atlantic Province, as remote and cold as it can be, is a considerable source of agricultural products for Canadians.

Needless to say, Newfoundland and Labrador is heavily dependent on its natural resource sectors such as mining, fisheries, forestry, oil and gas, hydro, and of course, agriculture.

Farming creates huge benefits for communities across the resource-rich province. For example, Newfoundland and Labrador farm cash receipts totalled $144.5 million in 2021. Locals love supporting their resources too, as 46.5 per cent of farms in the province reported direct sales to consumers in 2020.

Newfoundland and Labrador's farming sector also adheres to best practices. In 2021, 8.7 per cent of farms in Newfoundland and Labrador used renewable energy in some way, shape or form!

Farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador are an integral part of our agricultural sector and are a shining example of Canada’s commitment to supporting people and prosperity. To celebrate this achievement, we’ve compiled some facts on farming in the province below. Also see:


Newfoundland and Labrador farming facts - NFL is home to more than 400 farms


17 Facts on Farming in Newfoundland & Labrador

#1 - Newfoundland & Labrador is home to more than 400 different farms.3

#2 - Farm cash receipts totalled $144.5 million in 2021, an increase of 14.3% from 2020.1

#3 - In 2021, 23.5% of farms in Newfoundland and Labrador were classified as vegetable and melon producers.2

#4 - Newfoundland and Labrador farms reporting field vegetables production primarily grew carrots, rutabagas and turnips, and cabbages in 2021.2

#5 - In 2021, farms classified as beef and feedlots comprised 37.1% of total farm area and 12.8% of the total farms in Newfoundland and Labrador.2

#6 - In 2020, dairy and milk farms accounted for 38% of farm operating revenues reported in Newfoundland and Labrador.2

#7 - In 2021, 8.7% of farms in Newfoundland and Labrador produced renewable energy.2

#8 - The total farm area in Newfoundland and Labrador stood at 49,425 acres in 2021.2

#9 - In 2021, the average area per farm in Newfoundland and Labrador was 144 acres.2


Newfoundland and Labrador farm facts - 11,400 cattle call NFL home in Canada


#10 - Cropland made up 39% of farm area in in Newfoundland and Labrador.2

#11 - In Newfoundland and Labrador, farm cash receipts for fruit production rose 32.8% in 2020 to $1.2 million.3

#12 - In terms of berries in Newfoundland and Labrador: 3

• strawberries are the largest crop by value.

• cranberries are largest by crop volume.

• blueberries are the largest crop by area.

#13 - In 2020, the largest agriculture commodities were dairy, chicken, eggs, vegetables, and greenhouse and nursery products in Newfoundland and Labrador.3

#14 - Farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador had 11,400 cattle in 2020.3

#15 - There were 2,400 sheep in Newfoundland and Labrador, with 1,800 lambs born in 2020. 3

#16 - Newfoundland and Labrador milk production was 48.7 million litres in 2020.3

#17 - In 2020, the value of milk production Newfoundland and Labrador was $46.4 million.3


Newfoundland and Labrador farm facts - dairy and milk sector account for 38% of all farm revenues in NFL


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Sources

1 - Stats Canada. Agriculture and food statistics. Accessed August 5, 2022. Retrieved from ( https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects-start/agriculture_and_food)

 2 - Stats Canada. Vegetable and melon farms make up the biggest share of farms in Newfoundland and Labrador. Accessed August 5, 2022. Retrieved from (https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/96-325-x/2021001/article/00001-eng.htm)

 3 - Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Interesting Facts About Our Agriculture Industry. Accessed August 5, 2022. Retrieved from (https://www.gov.nl.ca/farm-guide/interesting-facts-about-our-agriculture-industry/)