Here are a few fun facts that quantify a few realities of the farming sector.

$1.3 million: That is the expected average debt per farm in 2024 in Canada, according to a recent survey of farm operators conducted by Statistics Canada. The average farm debt increased by more than half a million dollars, $562,543, between the 10-year period of 2011 to 2021, when it reached $1.1 million.

$66 million: That is the total amount of net farm revenue expected in 2024, according to forecasts by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, representing a historic low. In 2022, the figure stood at $959 million.

200,000: The number of Quebec companies with 25 to 49 employees that must now comply with francization rules as outlined in Bill 101, following the adoption of Bill 96 in June 2022. As of June 1, 2024, all these companies must register with l’Office afin d’entreprendre une démarche de francisation and conduct all of their business in French.

34: The number of dairy herds in the U.S. that have reported infections of the bird flu virus since the middle of March. The rise in incidents has sparked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to agree to a request from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to test lactating cows for the virus before they cross into Canada. The testing requirement went into effect April 29.

The virus has not been identified in any Canadian dairy or beef herds to date.