Agriculture and Agri-business

The County of Renfrew has a strong history of agriculture and rural living. Although originally developed in conjunction with the forest industry, a vibrant agriculture community developed on the more arable lands of the County. The predominant agricultural area of the County is located on the sedimentary deposits of the Champlain Sea which are found in a broad area between Arnprior and Petawawa. There are also numerous pockets of good quality farmland located throughout the County.

The fields of the agricultural areas of the County contain bountiful crops of hay, soybean, corn, oats, winter wheat, barley and various fruit and vegetables. The most common farm types in Renfrew County are beef, field crops, oil seeds & grains and dairy. Sheep & goat farming and other specialty animal and crop farms are becoming an increasingly important part of the agricultural economy. Examples include bison, alpacas, fruit & berry production, vegetables, maple syrup, nursery products and honey.

A close look at the local agricultural sector shows that it has a significant economic impact within Renfrew County. The 2021 Census of Canada (Agriculture) observed that there are 1000 farms within the County, with 296,674 acres of farmland in use, 151,055 acres (51%) of which were in field crops. Total farm receipts for main commodities in 2021, were $128.48 million.

You can also scan this QR code to access the Agriculture and Agri-business survey.