@article{361-2016-18712,
      recid = {103047},
      title = {An Overview of the Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food  System 2011},
      address = {2011-02},
      number = {361-2016-18712},
      pages = {172},
      year = {2011},
      abstract = {This 2011 report provides an economic overview of the  Canadian agriculture and agri-food system.

It is meant to  be a multi-purpose reference document to provide:

an  introduction to the agriculture and agri-food system; 
a  snapshot of structural changes that are occurring  throughout the system in response to various factors; and  
background data and information to inform public  discussions on challenges and opportunities facing the  Canadian agriculture and agri-food system. 
Charts and  tables with brief accompanying texts are used to summarize  information and to provide base performance  indicators.

The 2011 report begins with a special feature  that provides a description of young farmers in Canada  including their numbers by farm size, province and farm  type and how they are performing relative to other farming  age groups. Young Farmer Enterprises (YFEs), at 8% of farms  performed better than other farms. This is important, given  that Canada's future capacity to produce food for the  world, as well as contribute to a vibrant agriculture and  agri-food system, will depend on the number and skill set  of these young farmers today.

The publication continues by  reviewing each segment of the system, starting downstream  with consumers to food distribution, and heading upstream  to food and beverage processing, primary agriculture and  input suppliers. It also contains a section that considers  the natural resources available in Canada and the  environmental impacts of agriculture. The report concludes  with a review of government expenditures in support of  agriculture, including international comparisons of  government measures of support.

It describes the Canadian  agriculture and agri-food system as a modern, highly  complex, integrated, internationally competitive and  growing part of the Canadian economy. It is a resilient  system, responding to the challenges and opportunities it  faces by restructuring and adapting to changing consumer  demands, advancing technology, North American integration  and globalization.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/103047},
}