Farm Cash Receipts Up in 2004

OTTAWA - Nov 25/04 - SNS -- Higher crop revenues helped lift total farm cash receipts in Canada upward for the first time in three years during the first nine months of 2004, according to Statistics Canada.

Despite decreases in cattle and calf receipts, total livestock revenues improved amid higher returns for hogs and dairy products.

Farmers received $26.1 billion from all three sources (livestock and crop receipts and program payments) between January and September, up 6.4% from 2003. The total was 5.9% above the previous five-year average between 1999 and 2003.

Crop revenues jumped 13.4% to $10.7 billion, the biggest nine-month total since the record high in 1996. This year's total was 8.3% above the previous five-year average. Production rebounded in 2003 after two consecutive droughts in Western Canada that had sharply reduced crop levels and cut grain and oilseed farm inventories.

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