Collaborate to Innovate
CAAIN champions collaborative AgTech research and innovation. We do this by…
Connecting agri-food businesses, academic institutions, researchers, and technology players in a member-based network, and…
Creating opportunities for research and innovation in: automation & robotics and data collection, analysis, & use. Project success will increase productivity and enhance value, yielding a more robust agri-food sector. This, in turn, will expand domestic and international markets and generate more and higher-quality industry jobs, reducing the supply chain’s reliance on unskilled labour and improving food security. We are also…
Cultivating the development of a nationwide network of smart farms representing a range of agriculture sub-sectors. These smart farms collaborate to validate and demonstrate emerging knowledge & technology.
Connect (There’s that word again!) with us on LinkedIn and Twitter, and by joining the CAAIN network. Membership is free. For more information on benefits and to apply, click here.
Why Should Agri-Food Research & Innovation Matter to Canadians?
In 2024, the whole agriculture and agri-food system:
- employed 2.3 million people
- provided 1 in 9 jobs in Canada
- generated $149.2 billion (around 7%) of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP)
The system represents an integrated supply chain.
Primary agriculture is defined as work that is performed within the boundaries of a farm, nursery or greenhouse.
- GDP: $31.7 billion (1.4%)
- Jobs: 223,000
Canadian primary agriculture is an economic driver highly diversified across the country:
- 189,874 farms
- farms cover 62.2 million hectares or 6.2% of Canada’s land area
- concentrated across the Prairies, Quebec, and Southern Ontario
- average farm size almost doubled over the last 50 years due to consolidation and technological advances
Farm market receipts
Farm market receipts represent the farmer’s revenues from the sale of agricultural commodities. Farm market receipts are diversified across commodities, led by grains and oilseeds, red meat and dairy. In 2024:
- $92.0 billion
- 5.1% average annual growth (2014-2024)
Input and service suppliers provide farm inputs and services to the sector.
- GDP: $13.3 billion (0.6%)
- Jobs: 76,400
