The greying of Canada’s farmers is picking up speed.
Like the general Canadian population, farmers are getting older as the transfer of farms from one generation to the next is delayed due to lack of opportunity or lack of takers.
“This is a real trend we have been picking up for a number of years,” said Lynda Kemp, of Statistics Canada, as the federal agency published more detailed analysis of the 1996 census of agriculture. “It is true in the general population as well, but the aging certainly is evident in agriculture.”
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The Prairies illustrate the trend and for University of Saskatchewan agricultural economist Jack Stabler, it is a disturbing trend.
“The fact that the industry is not attracting more young people should be a concern,” he said. “It is a warning for the industry. Young people bring ideas and energy and optimism. Who wants to add another $500,000 in debt when they are 55 years old?”
In Saskatchewan during the past five years, the average age of farm operators increased to 49.2.
Behind the overall average, the aging trend is more stark. Between 1991 and 1996, the percentage of Saskatchewan farmers under 35 years fell 4.4 percentage points to 15.6 percent.
There were more than twice as many farmers over 55 as under 35.
In Alberta and Manitoba, the average age is slightly lower, but still growing.
British Columbia and Ontario have the oldest average farm population at 49.4 years. Quebec’s is the youngest.
“I would guess that is because there is more dairy in Quebec and it is more of a full-time occupation,” said Kemp. “Perhaps young people see it as a more viable career option.”
Nationally, the average farm age is 48.4.
The Statistics Canada analysis offers other glimpses of a changing farm industry.
Slowly but surely, women are establishing themselves as a significant portion of Canadians who consider themselves farmers.
In 1996, one quarter of farmers – more than 97,000 – were women. In British Columbia, it was a country-high 35 percent.
Thirteen percent of the women farm operators worked solo in 1996, compared to 10 percent in 1991. The remainder were operators in partnership with others.
Female farm operators tended to be on average several years younger than their male counterparts.
The census also offered more evidence that farming is a risky, dangerous business. On average, more than 100 farm work-related deaths are reported each year and four percent of all farmers reported an injury requiring medical attention.
The highest rate of reported injury was in Manitoba, although prairie farmers were generally more injury-prone than farmers elsewhere in Canada.
