What do you know about the crops we grow here in Chatham-Kent?

Here are some facts on various crops we grow and how we rate against the rest of the province and the rest of Canada. It is an impressive list. Here in Chatham-Kent, we really do grow for the world.

Did you know that Chatham-Kent…
… is the number one producer of tomatoes in all of Canada?
… is the number one producer of seed corn in all of Canada?
… is the number one producer of pumpkins in all of Canada?
… is the number one producer of cucumbers in all of Canada?
… is the number one producer of black tobacco in all of Canada?
… is the number one producer of green peas in all of Ontario?
… is the number one producer of quail in all of Ontario?
… is the number two producer of brussels sprouts in all of Canada?
… is the number two producer of sugar beets in all of Canada?
… is the number two producer of field peppers in all of Ontario?
… is the number two producer of banana peppers in all of Ontario?
… produces about 20% of all vegetables grown in Ontario?
… produces about 25% of all green peas grown in Ontario?
… is 90% rural by area, but only 30% of the population of 104,000 live in rural areas?
… soybeans, corn, and wheat are the three major crops in terms of acreage?
… agriculture creates over 16,000 jobs?

Each farmer in Chatham-Kent produces enough to feed 120 people.
There are over 2,000 farms, which account for 4% of Ontario’s total farms.
Greenhouses in Chatham-Kent now account for over 200 acres or about 6% of Ontario’s total greenhouse area.

It has been said we don’t really know what is in our own backyard. Agriculture is a prime example of having a strong resource and it’s a $3 billion plus sector in Chatham-Kent. Let’s do all we can to keep this sector going by supporting our local agricultural producers how and when we can.

Kim Cooper has been involved in the agribusiness sector for over 40 years. You can also follow him on Twitter.