Net farm income in Canada recovered somewhat last year but still sits well below the 2017 highs.
Across the country, net farm income increased 13.8 per cent in 2019 to $5.18 billion, according to Statistics Canada data.
That net income is still 38 per cent less than then $8.4 billion earned in 2017.
Low commodity prices, bad harvests and some poorer crops caused the decline.
Saskatchewan farmers did not see net income increase as did the rest of Canada. Income actually declined 2.4 per cent to $2.24 billion as poor harvest weather and increased costs bit into the bottom line.
This province’s farm net income last year was 19 per cent less than in 2017 when net was $2.86 billion
Alberta net farm income of $769 million last year was a turnaround from a $2.8 billion loss in 2018, and less than half the $1.9 billion of 2017.
Manitoba farm income of $419 million last year was just over half the $752 million from 2018 and less than half the $1.2 billion from 2017.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
