Agriculture has been a vital force in the Canadian economy for centuries and today remains a major contributor to Canada's trade in international markets. In 2002, Canada exported agriculture and agri-food products, totalling $30.9 billion.

 

One of the world's leading food producers, Canada is best known for its excellent grains, oilseeds, vegetables, meats and dairy products. Canadian farming practices, fertilizer and feed technologies, equipment and management techniques all contribute to Canada's abundant production of crops and livestock. The Canadian agricultural and agri-food sector is the third largest employer in Canada.

 

Agriculture provided 406 900 jobs to Canadians in 1999, who represent about 1.3 percent of the country's total population and 2.8 percent of its workforce. Another 1.5 million Canadians, or 10.6 percent of the total employment, work in food and beverage processing, food retail, food services, and related industries in the agri-food system. All in all, the agri-food sector generates about 8.5 percent of Canada's gross domestic product.