Table of Contents

Affordable land and welcoming community attract new farmers to region

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Highlight

Affordable farmland prices made Thunder Bay an attractive option to explore but it was the welcome they received from the farm community that made them decide to make their home here.

Thunder Bay Community Pasture develops drought-tolerant rotational grazing system thanks to government funding

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Highlight

Thunder Bay Community Pastures received a grant of $90,000 from the Federal and Provincial governments in 2021 to create a rotational grazing system through the installation of new interior fencing and gating.

What do the 2022 Food Production Indicators Tell Us?

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Analysis

The Thunder Bay Area encompasses the City of Thunder Bay and its surrounding municipalities. Its landscape includes the shore of Lake Superior, swaths of Boreal Forest and rocky Canadian Shield as well as deposits of rich soils in the lower-lying river valleys which...

Number of seed packets sold through Superior Seed Producers (new for 2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

3,907 Measured: 2021 Source:    McGibbon, Kim. (2022). Roots Community Food Centre. Personal Communication. 15

Number of people producing seeds for sale through the Superior Seed Producers (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

5 Measured: 2020 Source:    McGibbon, Kim. (2022). Roots Community Food Centre. Personal Communication. 14

Varieties trialed by the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

206 Measured: 2020 Source:    Singh, Tarlok. (2022). Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station. Summary of Research Results 2020. 13

Number of registered beekeepers (new for 2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

130 Measured: 2022 Source:    Rupert, Rob. (2022.) Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Personal Communication. 11

Number of greenhouses (nurseries, floriculture, and vegetable) (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

14 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of farms involved in vegetable production (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

8 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of farms involved in fruit production (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

3 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of farms engaged in other farm animal husbandry (horses, bison, deer, elk, llamas, etc) (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

19 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of Thunder Bay Beekeeper Association members (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

40+ Measured: 2021 Source:    Browne, Bruce. (2022.) Thunder Bay Beekeepers Association. Personal Communication. 12

Average farm size (measured in acres) (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

266 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Estimated number of part-time farm operators (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

95 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Estimated number of full-time farm operators (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

130 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of farm operators (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

220 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of census farms (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

150 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Total gross farm receipts (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

$31,921,202 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of acres in production (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

39,908 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Jobs related to agriculture and agri-food production (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

6,095 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Areas owned (measured in acres) (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

30,488 or 76% Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Area rented/leased (measured in acres) (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

8,031 or 20% Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of farms engaged in beef cattle production (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

39 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of hog farms (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

2 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10

Number of poultry and egg farms (2022)

by weaver | Jan 4, 2023 | 2022 Report, Indicator Data

5 Measured: 2021 Source:    Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. (2022). County Profiles: https://www.ontario.ca/page/county-profiles-agriculture-food-and-business – Thunder Bay 10