Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

About Agriculture

Manitoba has a vibrant and diversified agriculture sector that includes: grains, oilseeds, horticultural, vegetable and special crops; cattle and hog operations, poultry, lamb and more exotic livestock like elk and bison. Dairy farms are common around Winnipeg, and egg operations in the southern part of the province. Wheat continues to be the most important crop, accounting for 40% of crop production value to the province.

Manitoba has a climate that allows the wider array of crops with the highest average rainfall of the three Prairie Provinces (Saskatchewan and Alberta are the other two) and up to 130 frost free days in the southern region. Manitoba's climate and central location make it a productive growing area. Planting starts in early May and continues through to the second week in June. Long warm summer days, clean environment, abundant water and a fertile land base provide excellent growing conditions. Harvest may start as early as Mid August and continues through to October.
The cold winter months reduce pests found in warmer climates and the need for pesticides and herbicides

Land farmed is over 19 million acres. The average farm is 743 acres (310 hectares) larger than the Canadian average but the smallest in the Prairie Provinces.

The food and beverage processing sector uses inputs from agriculture and is one of the most important sectors in the province producing over $3 billion in goods and services. This represents 24% of all manufacturing in the province and employs over 8,000 workers.

The largest manufacturing sub sector is meat and poultry slaughter and processing producing $900 million in goods and employing over 3,000 people

Manitoba produces more than it consumes and is a net exporting province. Agri-food exports exceeded $3 billion in 2002.