Optimism Report Optimism in Canadian Agriculture 2010 : Page 1
Optimism in Canadian agriculture is at a four-year high. In the fourth edition of this study, more Canadian producers report being better off today than they were five years ago, having higher expectations for future growth than in the past, and continued advocacy for careers in agriculture. Plans for expansion and diversification continue to be a priority for the majority of producers, with intentions to increase capital spending on equipment, inputs and land. While the majority of producers are optimistic about the future of agriculture, producers from BC and Quebec are slightly more optimistic compared to others across the country. Dairy, crop, other animal and horticulture producers are slightly more optimistic than their livestock counterparts in the hog and beef sectors. Producers see commodity prices and demand for products as the greatest opportunities in agriculture. Compared to the previous year, commodity prices climbed to the top of the list of opportunities in agriculture in 2010. Agriculture is also faced with significant challenges in the coming years. Producers identify making a profit, rising input costs and environmental factors to be the top three challenges they will face in the upcoming year. Since the inception of the survey, making a profit has increasingly become more of a concern for producers while the challenge of rising input costs has diminished. 1 1 See Appendix 1 for survey background and methodology. 4 th Edition 1
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