Agriculture Industry

October 2010

· The industry employed about 61,000 people in 2008

· Average annual employment growth rate in the industry between 2009 and 2013 is expected to be 0.9%

Profile

Businesses in this industry are engaged mainly in growing crops and raising animals. The industry includes farms, orchards, greenhouses and feedlots. Occupations include farm workers, dairy producers, animal care attendants and beekeepers.

Performance and outlook

Alberta is one of Canada’s largest agricultural producers, accounting for about a fifth of production. During the last decade, the industry’s share of both economic activity and employment in Alberta has declined.

The recession has had a negative effect on the industry. Farm cash receipts from operations, for example, were down by 6.7 per cent over the first nine months of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008. The decline was attributed to significantly lower program payments, along with reduced crop and livestock market receipts.

New federal and provincial government programs should provide opportunities for livestock farmers. In particular, an improved process for tracking livestock as it moves through the production system will help reassure consumers of the safety and quality of their food. Value-added food and agri-product processing will also benefit from funding opportunities such as those provided by the Canadian Beef and Cattle Market Development Fund and federal and provincial agri-business livestock programs.

In 2009, farmers were affected by a drop in world grain prices and a poor growing season in some areas of the province. Livestock producers have been affected by a decline in world meat consumption, by non-tariff trade barriers such as Country of Origin labelling laws and by trade sanctions related to BSE (mad cow disease) and H1N1. The agricultural industry in general will continue to face the challenge of trying to keep young people on the farm in the face of higher paying urban jobs and the high capital costs of entering the industry.

On the other hand, Mexico, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates are opening up as new markets for Alberta agricultural products. For example, Alberta shipped $1.1 billion in total exports—about one-third of which was canola—to Mexico in 2008, $720 million more than the year before. Rising demand for biofuels (e.g. grains and oilseeds) and organic products may also create more opportunities for Alberta farmers. Increased global competition in agriculture, a potential threat, could spur innovations that will increase yields and reduce costs.

Demand for labour in most occupations in the industry, such as contractors, operators, supervisors and general workers in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture, is expected to be below average for the next five years.

About 2,600 jobs will be created in the agricultural industry by 2013.

For more information see Alberta Career and Industry Outlook or Alberta Industry Profiles.

Occupations in the industry

For a list of occupations and related occupations in this industry, see OCCinfo Search by Industry: Agriculture page