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Principal field crop areas, June 2014

June 30, 2014, Canada – Statistics Canada has released results from the June Farm Survey, conducted from May 28 to June 10, with data from approximately 24,800 farms across Canada.

As of June 10, farmers had either planted, or intended to plant, fewer acres of wheat compared with 2013, but larger areas of canola, soybeans and dry field peas. Based on the reports of farmers, soybean area in 2014 could reach a record high for the sixth consecutive year.

Seeding is progressing well across Canada, but some farmers have reported that wet conditions have delayed or may stop seeding in some areas.

Wheat
At the national level, total wheat area (including winter wheat remaining) decreased 7.4 per cent to 24.1 million acres in 2014. Both spring wheat (-7.4 per cent) and durum wheat (-3.3 per cent) planted area declined compared with 2013.

In Saskatchewan, spring wheat area fell 7.7 per cent to 8.7 million acres. Hard red spring wheat (-3.9 per cent) accounted for most of this decrease, with 310,000 fewer seeded acres. Durum wheat fell 3.8% to 4.2 million acres in 2014.

Alberta farmers reported a 7.8 per cent decrease in area seeded to spring wheat, while durum wheat area was unchanged from 2013. Manitoba farmers reported 2.7 million acres of spring wheat, down 7.5 per cent from 2013.

Soybeans
Nationally, soybean area could reach a record high for the sixth consecutive year, rising 23.5 per cent from 2013 to 5.6 million acres. Farmers reported record levels in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Maritimes.

The area planted to soybeans in Quebec was reported at 852,500 acres, up 19.6 per cent from 2013. In Ontario, soybean area rose 21.6 per cent to 3.0 million acres in 2014.

Manitoba farmers reported a 23.8 per cent increase to 1.3 million soybean acres, while Saskatchewan reported 300,000 acres, up from 170,000 acres in 2013.

Canola
Canadian farmers reported seeding 20.2 million acres of canola, up 1.5 per cent from 2013.

In Saskatchewan, canola acreage rose 1.9 per cent to 10.7 million acres. Alberta farmers planted 6.3 million acres of canola, up 2.8 per cent from 2013. Manitoba, in turn, is reporting a 1.7 per cent decrease in canola seeded area to 3.1 million acres.

Barley and oats
At the national level, barley seeded area declined 14 per cent from 2013 to 6.1 million acres. Meanwhile, oats area decreased 3.8% from 2013 to 3.0 million acres.

Corn for grain
Canadian farmers reported 3.1 million acres planted to corn for grain in 2014, down 15.5 per cent from 2013.

In Quebec, the area seeded to corn for grain decreased 13.9 per cent to 877,200 acres. Ontario farmers reported a similar decrease, down 15.3 per cent from 2013 to 1.9 million acres.

Dry field peas
Nationally, the area planted to dry field peas rose 21 per cent from 2013 to 4.0 million acres. This gain was due to a 16.9 per cent increase in Saskatchewan to 2.6 million acres, as well as a 30 per cent increase in Alberta to 1.3 million acres.

June 30, 2014  By Top Crop Manager