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Overview Summary of Agriculture in Saskatchewan June 2008 PEOPLE
CLIMATE
LAND BASE A large portion of Saskatchewan's total land area is used for farming activity. In fact, the province contains 41 per cent of Canada's arable land. There are six soil zones in the province: brown, dark brown, black, grey, dark grey and forest soils. PRIMARY PRODUCTION Cereal crops: Saskatchewan continues to be a leader in cereal crop production across the country supplying five per cent of the world's total exported wheat and is Canada's most important grain-producing region. In 2006, six million hectares of all classes of wheat (a value of $1.5 billion) was produced in Saskatchewan. Types of cereal crops grown in the province include:
Feed and Forage: Two forage processing industries: alfalfa pellets and cubes, and hay compaction, contribute to sustaining a dynamic forage sector in Canada. These industries are highly export oriented. It is estimated that Saskatchewan processors exported $24 million worth of processed forage feed products in 2007. Three alfalfa pelleting/cubing plants and one hay densification plant are active in the province. The feed and forage industry in Saskatchewan includes:
Livestock: Saskatchewan's livestock industries continue to grow and expand at a competitive rate with the rest of the nation. The province is the second largest beef producer in Canada producing over $1 billion of beef annually. With an estimated 22 per cent of Canada's total bison herd, Saskatchewan's bison numbers are also growing. The number of bison in the province has increased significantly from 7,006 in 1996 to 57,395 in 2006. Since July 2000, Saskatchewan's pig inventory has grown by nine per cent - the largest growth rate in Canada over that period. As of July 1, 2007 Saskatchewan comprised nine per cent of the Canadian pig inventory. Livestock raised in Saskatchewan include:
Oilseeds: Saskatchewan has been very successful in developing oilseed production. Canola - a crop that did not exist 30 years ago - is now the second largest crop grown in the province. Saskatchewan produced nearly four million tones of canola in 2007. In fact, that is 45 per cent of Canada's total canola production. In addition, Saskatchewan continues to be Canada's leading producer of flax (70 per cent) and mustard (87 per cent). Oilseed crops include:
Pulse Crops: With over 4.6 million acres of peas, lentils and chickpeas, Saskatchewan is Canada's leading producer of pulses. Pulse production has grown rapidly in Saskatchewan and represents approximately 14 per cent of total seeded area. From 1995 to 2007, acres of peas increased from 1.35 to 2.92 million acres. Lentil production has increased from 735,000 to 1.3 million acres in this same time period. Chickpea production demonstrated a variable production pattern, with acreage soaring in 2007 to 380,000 acres from 3,300 acres in 1995. Total production of these three pulse crops in 2007 was approximately 3.1 million tonnes. Specialty Crops: Specialty crops provide numerous diversification options for Saskatchewan producers. The province has become a dominant producer and exporter of some specialty crops, like canaryseed. Herb and spice crops are becoming more popular, and Saskatchewan is currently one of the largest producers of coriander and caraway in the country. In addition, Saskatchewan produces more pounds of wild rice than any other province in Canada. Saskatchewan specialty crops include:
AGRI-VALUE PROCESSING Highlights Beef: Saskatchewan produces over $1 billion worth of beef annually, making it the second-largest producing province in Canada. In 2007, there were a total of 22,000 beef producers in the province, with a total of 1.5 million beef cows. The low livestock population densities allow opportunities for growth. There are 10 provincially-inspected and seven federally-inspected beef processing plants in the province. The beef products from these facilities are sold in the retail, wholesale, hotel, restaurant and speciality markets. The federally-inspected slaughter plants are licensed to market meat products nationally and internationally. All federally-inspected meat processing facilities must develop Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems. The HACCP system is recognized world-wide for its contribution to food safety. Biofuels: Saskatchewan is the largest source of agricultural biomass in Canada. Each year, on average, Saskatchewan's farmers produce 13 million tonnes of wheat, 4.6 million tonnes of canola, and 5.3 million tonnes of barley. Our province is particularly well-suited for the production of biofuels - including ethanol, biodiesel and biogas - a key part of our vision of developing a green and prosperous economy based on our natural advantages. Saskatchewan is also centrally located to export renewable fuels to sizeable markets in Canada and the United States. There are three ethanol plants currently operating in Saskatchewan. In total, these three plants produce 167 million litres per year. Another large plant (150 million litres) is under construction and one small biodiesel facility recently began production. Building on our natural advantages, Saskatchewan believes that provincial production of one billion litres of ethanol and 400 million litres of biodiesel can be achieved by 2010. Chicken: Saskatchewan's chicken production has more than doubled since 1998. In 2005, 23.4 million birds weighing 45.9 million kilograms were produced by Saskatchewan farmers. Dairy: Over the last 20 years the Saskatchewan dairy industry has grown in both production and processing. Types of dairy processing in the province include milk separation, packaging for sale and processed products like sour cream, ice cream, cheese and yogurt. Egg: Egg production in the province is stable, and in 2007, Saskatchewan produced 19.7 million dozen eggs valued at approximately $26.8 million. The major egg grader in the province, which sorts and grades most of the eggs produced in Saskatchewan, is located in Saskatoon. Any further processing of eggs (i.e. breaking) is done out-of-province. Feed and Forage: The Saskatchewan feed industry has experienced a shift in recent years from smaller, independently-owned processors to large-scale manufacturing corporations. This shift has not diminished the continued growth observed in this sector. In addition to the processing of pre-mixed feeds, Saskatchewan continues to be a leading exporter of dehydrated alfalfa products and compacted long fibre hay. Major export markets for these products include Japan, South Korea and the United States. A new market derived from the co-products of wheat-based ethanol production is emerging. Wheat Distillers' Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) is high in energy, protein, and fibre. DDGS is suitable for consumption by various classes of livestock as both an energy and protein supplement. Saskatchewan currently has 150,000 tonnes of wheat DDGS available for sale with that number expected to climb to 300,000 tonnes with the opening of a new ethanol plant. Fibre: As a relatively new industry in Saskatchewan, research has led to uses for non-food fibre processing and what was traditionally thought of as agricultural waste products. Some of the potential uses for these fibres include:
Food Processing: The Saskatchewan Food Processors Association estimates the value of food and beverage shipments from Saskatchewan manufacturers at $2 billion annually with shipments in 2006 totaling over $2.3 billion. The largest food categories in Saskatchewan by number of firms are meat products and grain and oilseed milling. Other processed products include honey, fruits and vegetables, spices and condiments, dairy products, beverages, confectionary and nutraceuticals. Fruit: Fruit processing is an emerging industry in Saskatchewan. More than 30 Saskatchewan companies process fruit products such as jams, pie fillings and syrups for specialty and retail markets. In addition, there is one manufacturer of fruit wines and one organic fruit processor within the province. For the most part, the focus is on the domestic market, although about 30 per cent of the processing companies do some export marketing. Producers and processors in this industry have focused on the following fruit crops:
Herbs and spices: There are about 50 herb producers/collectors in Saskatchewan that carry out cultivated field production or collect product from the wild. About 10 to 15 per cent of these producers do primary to secondary processing of their products. The greenhouse and market garden operations have capitalized on the increased use of culinary herbs and supply a wide range of living or cut product. To deal with the excess production of the perishable product, goods can be dried or sold as tea products. Spice producer numbers vary as conventional farmers incorporate these crops into their rotations. There are approximately 70 different herb and spice crops grown in the province. Crops include coriander, caraway, dill, fenugreek, anise, cumin, borage, chamomile, echinacea, valerian, St. John's wort, milk thistle, feverfew, dock, chaga, burdock, senega, fireweed, dandelion, arnica, comfrey, sea buckthorn, nettle, lavender, red clover blossom, sweet flag, sweet grass and yarrow. Culinary crops include sweet basil, garlic, tarragon, dill and parsley. There are a number of primary processing facilities in Saskatchewan and a few that carry out value-added processing, such as blending, encapsulation, oil extraction, preparation of sauces and medicinal salves. Horticulture: Saskatchewan has experienced relative success in two areas of horticulture production. These areas are field potato production, which in 2007 covered almost 10,000 acres, and greenhouse vegetable and bedding plant production. The trend to local food consumption is creating more demand for locally grown produce. Although the processing industry is small in this sector, there has been significant success to date. In addition, there has been rapid development within the fruit sector accounting for a significant amount of processing activity. Milling and Baking: The value of Saskatchewan exports in the milling sector was approximately $76 million in 2007 and $3.5 million in the baking sector. There are six milling operations and two wholesale bakery operations in the province. Saskatchewan has an estimated 40 bakeries and bake shops located throughout the province. The source ingredients and associated products include:
Natural Health Products and Functional Foods: As consumers around the world become more interested in their health and wellness, Saskatchewan is positioned to supply both processed products and ingredients. This industry generates sales of approximately $50 - 60 million annually. Saskatchewan supplies and processes ingredients to a variety of functional foods like cereals, beverages, baked products, snacks and bars. Ingredients include:
Organic: Organic food production is becoming more and more prominent. In 2005, Saskatchewan comprised more than half (295,000 hectares) of all the certified organic land in Canada and more than one-third (1,200) of organic producers. Saskatchewan food processors have responded to the demand for organics. There are approximately 92 organic processors and handlers in Saskatchewan, including 21 manufacturers. Processed products include flours, flax products, consumer-ready pulses, oils, hemp foods, medicinal herbs and meats. It is expected that this trend will increase in the future with the opening of new organic production facilities. The majority of organic farmers in Saskatchewan (1,063) are grain and oilseed producers which make up 75 per cent of the total grain and oilseed producers in Canada (the remainder are 92 livestock, 12 vegetable, and three orchard operators). These numbers do not include the 31 that are in transition to certified organic management. Pork: There are nine federally-inspected, 11 provincially-inspected, and over 75 health-inspected meat processing plants in Saskatchewan. The value of Saskatchewan pork exported in 2007 was about $57 million with almost all exports going to the United States and some going to Mexico and Japan. Pulse Crops: Saskatchewan is a leader in pulse production. In less than 30 years, Saskatchewan has gone from producing few pulse crops to becoming a major world exporter. Consequently, Saskatchewan has more than 100 top quality pulse crop processors. Commercial pulse processing operations in Saskatchewan continue to grow. Saskatchewan's pulse processing companies currently produce a number of products, including:
Specialized Livestock: The specialized livestock slaughter capacity in Saskatchewan is limited. However, bison numbers continue to grow while most other sectors are maintaining herd sizes. Products such as meat, hides and antler velvet - used for medicinal purposes - are exported nationally and internationally. The specialized livestock that can be found in Saskatchewan are:
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