Agriculture on Prince Edward Island

Abstract

Salute to Agriculture [Supplement to the The Island Farmer]. This article summarizes the facts about the agriculture sector on Prince Edward Island. The Island has a total land area of 1.4 million acres with approximately 594,000 cleared for agriculture. 3.9% of the population live on farms. The 2011 Census lists 1,500 farms primarily engaged in growing crops or raising livestock. The farms range from a few acres to 3,000 acres. Potatoes are PEI's biggest commodity. In 2013, 89,000 acres of potatoes were planted. The crop was worth $201-274 million in past five years. Grains and oilseeds are grown in rotation with potato crops and in 2013 there were 70,000 acres of wheat, oats, barley and mixed grain as well as 53,000 acres of oilseeds. The total value of the 2012 grain and oilseed crop was estimated to be $55 million. Lowbush blueberries cover 13,000 acres. There are many other fruit crops including cranberries, strawberries, apples, raspberries as well as new crops of black currants, haskap berry and grapes. There are 6,000 colonies of bees for pollination. Beef production is part of 40% of Island farms. There are about 190 dairy farms on PEI with annual milk production over 100 million liters. There are 22 hog farms with 65,000 hogs produced annually. Vegetable production are an important cash crop for Island farm families. There are 60 certified organic producers.

Date

2014-04-16

Issue

1

Title	Agriculture on Prince Edward Island
Abstract	Salute to Agriculture [Supplement to the The Island Farmer]. This article summarizes the facts about the agriculture sector on Prince Edward Island. The Island has a total land area of 1.4 million acres with approximately 594,000 cleared for agriculture. 3.9% of the population live on farms. The 2011 Census lists 1,500 farms primarily engaged in growing crops or raising livestock. The farms range from a few acres to 3,000 acres. Potatoes are PEI's biggest commodity. In 2013, 89,000 acres of potatoes were planted. The crop was worth $201-274 million in past five years. Grains and oilseeds are grown in rotation with potato crops and in 2013 there were 70,000 acres of wheat, oats, barley and mixed grain as well as 53,000 acres of oilseeds. The total value of the 2012 grain and oilseed crop was estimated to be $55 million. Lowbush blueberries cover 13,000 acres. There are many other fruit crops including cranberries, strawberries, apples, raspberries as well as new crops of black currants, haskap berry and grapes. There are 6,000 colonies of bees for pollination. Beef production is part of 40% of Island farms. There are about 190 dairy farms on PEI with annual milk production over 100 million liters. There are 22 hog farms with 65,000 hogs produced annually. Vegetable production are an important cash crop for Island farm families. There are 60 certified organic producers.
Journal	Island farmer
Date	2014-04-16
Volume	41
Issue	1
ISSN	0823-7735