In this age of microchips and the Internet, agriculture remains a vital economic activity across eastern Ontario. That includes livestock.
Eastern Ontario has about 3,800 beef farms, according to the 2006 Census.
| Region or County | Total Cattle (July 2008) |
|---|---|
| Ottawa | 39,850 |
| Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry | 84,150 |
| Renfrew | 59,050 |
| Prescott and Russell | 51,850 |
| Kawartha Lakes | 50,900 |
| Leeds and Grenville | 42,100 |
| Hastings | 34,900 |
| Peterborough | 34,550 |
| Northumberland | 31,100 |
| Lanark | 25,300 |
| Frontenac | 23,200 |
| Lennox and Addington | 22,150 |
| Prince Edward | 11,400 |
| Haliburton | 750 |
| TOTAL (includes dairy cattle) | 511,250 |
Ontario's beef industry was worth $1.2 billion as of 2005, with about 19,000 producers and 13,000 related jobs.
But farmers warn they are in a cash crisis because of low prices, escalating costs, protectionist U.S. policies, and government regulations -- as the industry sought to recover from the BSE crisis that made beef a four-letter word for many eaters.
Ontario's beef herd fell 14.5 per cent in 2008, continuing a four-year trend. Farm inventories of cattle, hogs, and sheep declined all across Canada last year due to rising expenses and market uncertainty.
According to Statistics Canada, the beef herd shows "no signs of rebuilding."
West Quebec
Cattle raising is the top agricultural activity in the Outaouais.
There were 30,485 beef cattle and 3,188 steers reported during the last Quebec government survey, with 778 farms reporting income of $29.6 million.
This includes Gatineau, Pontiac, Papineau, Vall�e-de-la-Gatineau, and Collines de l'Outaouais.
Sources: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, Ontario Cattlemen's Association, Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Statistics Canada
