STATISTICAL PROFILE OF
ANNAPOLIS COUNTY
Prepared By:
Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture
1.0 Introduction
Agriculture in the Local Economy
Agriculture in Annapolis County is characterized by a diversity of farm production
activities including beef, miscellaneous specialty, field crops, and dairy farms. The direct
economic impact of these activities is significant. In 2000, agriculture in Annapolis
County generated close to $20.1 million in farm receipts or about 4.3% of all receipts in
Nova Scotia. Operating expenses associated with farms in Annapolis County during the
same year amounted to approximately $17.6 million.
Farm businesses have a strong local orientation they both buy and sell in their local
community. Indeed, the farm sector creates significant economic activity in the town of
Annapolis, which acts as a service centre for the approximately 200 farms located in the
county. Agri-related businesses located in the towns of Annapolis Royal and Middleton
includes processors, retailers, wholesalers and contractors. The total direct and indirect
jobs associated with agriculture and their linkage to other industrial sectors in Annapolis
County is conservatively estimated at 700, or approximately 3% of all jobs in the local
economy.
Given the availability of prime agricultural soils, the current level of farm production and
the established agri-related business infrastructure that exists in Annapolis Royal and
Middleton, it is evident that agriculture will continue to be a significant economic activity
and land use in the area surround Annapolis for many years to come.
1.1 Population and Population Change
Between 1996 and 2001 the total population of Annapolis County declined by
2.25%, dropping from 25,679 to 20,099 (Table A).
The only area of the County to
experience a population increase was the town of Bridgetown, whose population
increased from 994 to 1,035. The overall rate of population decrease for the County was
higher than the provincial average of -0.1%.
Table A: Population of Annapolis County and Census Subdivisions, 1996-2001
Area
1996
Annapolis County
2001
% change
25,679
25,099
-2.25%
Subdivision A
6,710
6,576
-2.0%
Subdivision B
4,038
3,789
-6.2%
Subdivision C
5,165
5,085
-1.5%
Subdivision D
3,024
2,979
-1.5%
Town of Annapolis Royal (urban)
583
550
-5.7%
Town of Bridgetown (urban)
994
1,035
4.1%
5,165
5,085
-1.5%
Town of Middleton (urban)
Source: Statistics Canada 2001
The vast majority of the population of Annapolis County is concentrated in rural
areas . During the censuses of 1996 and 2001 nearly 75% of the population lived in
rural areas (Table B). Although the population of rural and urban areas decreased
between 1996 and 2001, the proportion they share of total population did not change
significantly.
1
Table B: Annapolis County, Rural and Urban Populations, 1996-2001
1996
Population
2001
%
Population
%
Rural
18,937
73.7%
18,429
73.4%
Urban
6,742
26.3%
6,670
26.6%
Total
25,679
Source: Statistics Canada 2001
25,099
1.2 Economic Profile
In 2001 Annapolis County had a total experienced labour force2 of 9,320, which
represents 2.1% of the total experienced labour force of Nova Scotia (Table C).
1
As defined by Statistics Canada, rural areas are sparsely populated lands lying outside urban areas. Urban
areas have minimum population concentrations of 1,000 and a population density of at least 400 per sq.
km., based on the previous census population counts. All territory outside urban areas is considered rural.
2
Refers to persons 15 years and over, excluding institutional residents, who were employed or unemployed
during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day, and who had last worked for pay or in selfemployment in either 2000 or 2001.
Agriculture accounted for about 4.5% of all jobs in Annapolis County, which is much
higher than the provincial average of 1.8%. The majority of jobs are in the other
services, manufacturing and construction, and health and education sectors.
Table C: Annapolis County, Experienced Labour Force by Industry, 2001
% of Nova
% of
Nova
Annapolis
Scotia's
Annapolis'
Industry
Scotia
County
ELF
ELF
Total - Experienced labour force
(ELF)
442,095
9,310
2.1%
100.0%
Agriculture
8,040
420
0.1%
4.5%
Other resource-based industries
20,630
670
0.2%
7.2%
Manufacturing and construction
industries
70,955
1,645
0.4%
17.7%
Wholesale and retail trade
71,085
1,500
0.3%
16.1%
Finance and real estate
20,620
210
0.1%
2.3%
Health and education
80,700
1,600
0.4%
17.2%
Business services
70,270
1,070
0.2%
11.5%
Other services
99,790
2,195
0.5%
23.6%
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
Figure 1: % of Experienced Labour Force by Industry: Annapolis County vs. Nova
Scotia, 2001
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
Annapolis County
Nova Scotia
10.00%
5.00%
vi
ce
s
se
r
rv
ic
e
er
th
ss
se
O
an
lth
He
a
an
e
nc
s
io
n
uc
at
ed
d
re
d
re
d
an
Fi
na
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
Bu
si
ne
al
ta
il
t
es
ra
ta
te
de
us
tr i
es
le
s
al
e
ct
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ho
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-b
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ur
so
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er
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io
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in
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as
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Ag
r
ic
u
ltu
re
us
tr i
es
0.00%
1.3 Agricultural Profile of Annapolis County
Number of Farms
In 2001, the total number of reported farms in Annapolis County was 199 (6% of
total farms in province), which was down from the 227 farms reported in 1996.3 Beef
(35.7%), miscellaneous specialty4 (14.1%), Field Crop (13.1%), and Dairy Farms
(11.1%) are the leading farm types in Annapolis County. From 1996-2001 the amount of
Dairy and Miscellaneous specialty farms decreased while Field Crop and Beef farms
added gains (Table D).5
Table D: Annapolis County, Total number of Farms by Farm Type, 1996 - 20016
1996
2001
%
Farm Type
change
Farms
%
Farms
%
Dairy
34
15.0%
22 11.1%
-35.3%
Cattle (beef)
77
33.9%
71 35.7%
-7.79%
Hog
6
2.6%
2
1.0%
-66.7%
Poultry and egg
2
0.9%
6
3.0%
300%
Wheat
0
0.0%
1
0.5%
100%
Grain and oil seed (except wheat)
2
0.9%
0
0.0%
-100%
Field crops (except oil seed and
18
7.9%
26 13.1%
44.4%
grain)
Fruit
17
17.5%
21 10.5%
23.5%
Miscellaneous specialty
46
20.3%
28 14.1%
-39.1%
Livestock combination
4
1.8%
7
3.5%
75.0%
Vegetable
10
4.4%
5
2.5%
-50.0%
Other combination
11
4.8%
10
5.0%
-9.09%
Total farms
227
100%
199
100%
-12.3%
Source: Statistics Canada, 1996, 2001
3
In 1996 and 2001, the Statistics Canada, Census of Agriculture defined a census farm as an agricultural
operation that produces at least one of the following products intended for sale: crops (hay, field crops, tree
fruits or nuts, berries or grapes, vegetables, seed); livestock (cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, game animals, other
livestock); poultry (hens, chickens, turkeys, chicks, game birds, other poultry); animal products (milk or
cream, eggs, wool, furs, meat); or other agricultural products (Christmas trees, greenhouse or nursery
products, mushrooms, sod, honey, maple syrup products).
4
Miscellaneous specialty includes greenhouse flower and plant production, bulbs, shrubs, trees, sod,
ornamentals, mushroom houses, honey production, maple syrup production, deer, mink, etc.
5
Farm typing is a procedure that classifies each census farm according to the predominant type of
production. This is done by estimating the potential receipts from the inventories of crops and livestock
reported on the questionnaire and determining the product or group of products that make up the majority
of the estimated receipts. For example, a census farm with total potential receipts of 60% from hogs, 20%
from beef cattle and 20% from wheat, would be classified as a hog farm. This farm type classification,
referred to as "historical," is based on the Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC).
6
Total number of farms reporting total gross farm receipts greater than $2,499. In 1996 the total number of
farms reporting total gross farm receipts less than $2,499 was 44, in 2001 the number was 51.
Annapolis County has a much higher ratio of Beef and Field Crops farm types
when comparing it to the entire province (Figure 2). Annapolis County has a higher
proportion of farms in five of twelve categories which include cattle, wheat, field crop,
livestock combination and other combination. Table E shows that Subdivision B of
Annapolis County has the highest percent of farms in the county, 35.7, while
Subdivisions B and C both share about 27% of the farms in the county.
Figure 2: % of Total Farms by Farm Type: Annapolis County vs. Nova Scotia, 2001
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
2001 Annapolis County
20.00%
15.00%
2001 Nova Scotia
10.00%
5.00%
(e
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try
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Fr
ou
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ui
s
ve
t
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ia
co
lit
y
m
bi
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ti
V e on
O
ge
th
er
ta
bl
co
e
m
bi
na
t io
n
an
d
eg
g
Ho
g
(B
ee
f)
Ca
t tl
e
Da
iry
0.00%
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
Table E: Total Number of Farms by Farm Type by Census Division, 20017
Farm Type
Total Farms
Dairy
Cattle (Beef)
Hog
Poultry and egg
Wheat
Grain and oilseed
(except wheat)
Field crop (except
grain and oilseed)
Fruit
7
Annapolis
County
Annapolis
Subd. A
Annapolis
Subd. B
Annapolis
Subd. C
Annapolis
Subd. D
3,318
375
828
65
111
199
22
71
2
6
53
2
17
0
2
71
9
31
0
2
54
10
18
1
1
21
1
5
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
0
15
0
0
0
0
0
242
643
26
21
4
10
15
6
4
4
3
1
Nova Scotia
Total number of farms reporting total gross farm receipts greater than $2,499. In 2001 the total number of
farms reporting total gross farm receipts less than $2,499 was 51.
Miscellaneous
specialty
Livestock
combination
Vegetable
757
28
10
6
7
5
73
97
7
5
4
1
1
0
2
2
0
2
Other combination
101
% of Annapolis
farms
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
10
3
1
4
2
100%
26.6%
35.7%
27.1%
10.6%
Farm Revenue
Annapolis County reported close to $20 million in farm receipts in 2000, which
increased from just over $19 million in 1995 (Table F). In 2000, the farm receipts in
Annapolis County made up 4.3% of the total farm receipts in the province. The average
farm receipts in Annapolis County increased from $70,387 to $79,173 between 1995 and
2000.
Table F: Total Farm Receipts for Annapolis County and Nova Scotia, 1995-2000
1995
2000
% change
Nova Scotia
$384,333,174 $460,424,979
19.8%
Annapolis County
$19,074,794
$19,793,265
3.8%
% of Nova Scotia’s receipts
4.96%
4.30%
Source: Statistics Canada, 1996, 2001
Subdivision C reported over 50% of the total farm receipts in Annapolis County,
and had the highest receipt per farm average at close to $150,000. In 2000,
subdivisions A, B, and D all had averages under $60,000 which was well below the
provincial average of $117,365 (Table G).
Table G: Total Farm Receipts by Census Subdivision for Annapolis County, 2000
Percentage
Receipts
Total Farm
of County
Total Farms
per Farm
Receipts
Total
Annapolis County
250
$19,793,265
100%
$79,173
Annapolis, Subd. A
61
$3,633,361
18%
$59,563
Annapolis, Subd. B
89
$4,216,571
21%
$47,377
Annapolis, Subd. C
68
$10,097,188
51%
$148,488
Annapolis, Subd. D
32
$1,846,145
9%
$57,692
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
In 2000, Close to 20% of the total farms in Annapolis County reported receipts of
$50,000 or greater. Fifty-one farms reported receipts of less than $2,500 which
constitutes %20.4 of the total farms in the county and makes this category the most
prevalent. %50 of farms reported receipts of less than $10,000 in 2000 (Table H). The
percentage of farms in the $10,000 to $24,999 category fell sharply after 1995.
Table H: Total Number of Farms in Annapolis County by Farm Receipts, 1996-2001
Farm Receipts Category
1996
2001
% of total
# of farms
% of total
# of farms
Under $2,500
44
16.2%
51
20.4%
$2,500 to $4,999
37
13.6%
34
13.6%
$5,000 to $9,999
31
11.4%
40
16.0%
$10,000 to $24,999
68
25.1%
40
16.0%
$25,000 to $49,999
24
8.9%
30
12.0%
$50,000 to $99,999
25
9.2%
19
7.6%
$100,000 to $249,999
23
8.5%
18
7.2%
$250,000 to $499,999
11
4.1%
8
3.2%
$500,000 and over
8
3.0%
10
4.0%
Total farms
271
100.00%
250
100.00%
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
Figure 3: % of Total Farms by Farm Receipts Category: Annapolis County vs.
Nova Scotia, 2001
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
Annapolis County
Nova Scotia
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
Under
$2,500
$2,500 to
$4,999
$5,000 to
$9,999
$10,000 to $25,000 to $50,000 to
$24,999
$49,999
$99,999
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
$100,000
to
$249,999
$250,000
to
$499,999
$500,000
and over
Table I: Total Number of Farms by Total Farm Receipts Category by Census
Subdivision, 2001
Farm Receipts
Nova
Annapolis Annapolis Annapolis Annapolis
Category
Scotia
County
Subd. A
Subd. B
Subd. C
Total farms
3,923
250
61
89
68
Under $2,500
605
51
8
18
14
$2,500 to $4,999
391
34
8
18
6
$5,000 to $9,999
555
40
13
13
8
$10,000 to $24,999
786
40
6
17
10
$25,000 to $49,999
452
30
9
7
11
$50,000 to $99,999
287
19
10
5
4
$100,000 to
$249,999
381
18
4
5
7
$250,000 to
$499,999
242
8
0
5
3
$500,000 and over
224
10
3
1
5
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
Annapolis
Subd. D
32
11
2
6
7
3
0
2
0
1
Farm Expenses
In 2001, the total farm business operating expenses for Annapolis County were
$17,687,742. The average business operating expenses in Annapolis County were
$70,751 which is lower than the provincial average of $99,081. Wages and salary, other
expenses (excluding depreciation and capital cost allowance), and total feed and
supplement purchases were among the greatest expenses for farms in Annapolis
County (Table J). Interest expenses in Annapolis County are about 9.2% of total farm
expenses; this is much higher than the provincial average of 6.2%.
Table J: Farm Business Operating Expenses for Annapolis County and Nova
Scotia, 2001
Nova Scotia
Annapolis County
Farms
Farms
reporting
Amount $
reporting
Amount $
Total farm business operating
Expenses
3,923 388,693,565
250 17,687,742
Fertilizer and lime purchases
2,820
12,909,414
175
949,395
Purchases of herbicides,
1,654
8,014,536
84
320,329
insecticides, fungicides, etc.
Seed and plant purchases
(excluding materials purchased for
resale)
1,729
10,315,606
125
663,999
Total feed and supplement
purchases
2,226
84,288,007
164
2,167,900
Feed purchases from other farmers
553
4,476,502
43
531,300
Livestock & Poultry Purchases
1,397
35,804,556
111
676,464
Veterinary services, drugs, etc.
Custom work and contract work
Wages and Salary
All fuel expenses (diesel, gasoline,
oil, wood, natural gas, etc.)
Repairs and maintenance to farm
machinery, equipment and vehicles
Rental and leasing of farm
machinery, equipment and vehicles
Repairs and maintenance to farm
buildings and fences
Rental and leasing of land and
buildings
Electricity, telephone and all other
telecommunication services
Farm interest expenses
All other expenses (excluding
depreciation and capital cost
allowance)
1,959
1,762
1,944
6,547,385
12,309,676
74,014,740
140
115
108
366,566
724,424
3,397,705
3,710
20,495,569
241
1,558,584
3,554
19,727,023
228
1,119,996
723
4,669,127
49
421,459
2,603
8,316,205
188
351,031
827
3,565,815
70
121,476
3,216
1,929
10,493,422
24,200,162
213
121
531,018
1,619,744
3,589
53,022,322
231
2,697,652
Land Use
In 2001, land in crops accounted for 22.7% of total land use in Annapolis County,
while pasture land accounted for 15.3%. The remaining farmland accounted for 61.9%
of the total county’s farmland and includes such uses as summer fallow and Christmas
tree production etc (Table K).
Table K: Farmland use in Annapolis County and Nova Scotia, 2001
Annapolis County
Nova Scotia
Land Use
# of acres
% of total
# of acres
% of total
Land in crops (excluding Christmas tree
area)
Tame or seeded pasture
Natural land for pasture
All other land (including summer fallow
and Christmas tree area)
Total
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
17,839
5,315
6,731
22.7%
6.8%
8.9%
294,596
56,520
81,215
29.3%
5.6%
8.1%
48,610
78,495
61.9%
100.00%
573,502
1,005,833
57.0%
100.00%
Farm Size
In 2001, the average farm size in Annapolis County was 314 acres which is
higher than the provincial average of 256 acres (Table L). Subdivision A, B, C all had
average farm sizes below the provincial average while Subdivision D had an average
farm size of 882 acres which is over three times the provincial average.
Table L: Total Acres and Average Farm Size in Annapolis County and Nova Scotia,
2001
Average
farm size
(acres)
Total Farms
Total Acres
Nova Scotia
3,923
1,005,833
256
Annapolis County
250
78,495
314
Annapolis, Subd. A
61
13,737
225
Annapolis, Subd. B
Annapolis, Subd. C
Annapolis, Subd. D
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
89
68
32
19,584
16,962
28,212
220
249
882
In 2001, approximately 45% of all farms in Annapolis county were less than 70
acres in size while close to 20% of all farms were 400 acres or larger. The largest farm
size category in Annapolis County was 10-69 acres, which accounted for 20% of farms
in the county (Table M). The farm size pattern in Annapolis County is consistent to that
of the province on a whole.
Table M: Total Farms by Farm Size Category for Annapolis County and Nova
Total
Farms
Under
10
acres
3,923
352
816
629
364
380
620
345
417
250
17
50
47
21
25
44
24
22
Annapolis, Subd. A
61
5
11
14
5
7
6
7
6
Annapolis, Subd. B
89
7
18
14
8
8
18
9
7
Annapolis, Subd. C
68
2
13
10
6
9
14
7
7
Annapolis, Subd. D
32
3
8
9
2
1
6
1
2
Nova Scotia
Annapolis County
10 to
69
acres
Scotia, 2001
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001
70 to
129
acres
130 to
179
acres
180 to
239
acres
240 to
399
acres
400 to
559
acres
560
acres &
over
APPENDIX A:
Map of Annapolis County