Canada family farm in decline - USDA FAS

From the USDA FAS - This Week in Canadian Agriculture

In Canada the traditional family farm is in decline. According to Statistics Canada, from 1996 to 2006, the number of farms in Canada dropped by more than 47,000 to 229,000, but the amount of land in active agriculture increased by more than 500,000 hectares. This seems to indicate that more of the food production in Canada is conducted by large corporations. This growth of corporate farm ownership coincides with a steep rise in Canada's farm exports. According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, food exports jumped 23.6% from 2007 to 2008 to C$38.9 billion. Over the same period, the dollar value of food imports to Canada climbed 16% to C$27.7 billion. Roughly half of all agricultural commodities produced in Canada are exported. With this change in the agricultural environment some Canadians are calling for a stronger national food policy to ensure the sustainability of the Canadian family farm and secure Canada’s local food source. Additionally, in recent years the local food movement has gained momentum.