Keystone Agricultural Producers has highlighted the 2013 record-breaking soybean crop as an example of the contributions farmers make to Manitoba’s economy. While many crops have already been harvested, the soybean harvest is just getting under.
This year, Manitoba farmers planted over a million acres in soybeans – and it’s estimated that will create $360 million of revenue. This will be a significant portion of the anticipated $4-plus billion in farm cash receipts – for both crops and livestock – expected in the province.
“Of course, farmers will only keep a small fraction of what they receive when they sell soybeans – or whatever they produce,” said KAP president Doug Chorney. “The rest is paid out to suppliers, transportation companies, equipment dealers, financial and marketing consultants – and the list goes on.
“There are jobs in each of these sectors – as well as in food-processing, food retailing, banking, government services and research – that are dependent on agricultural activities. The provincial government, in fact, estimates that 62,000 Manitobans are employed directly or indirectly as a result of farming.”
He noted that MacDon, a family-owned, Winnipeg-based company that manufactures harvesting equipment, has grown from a 45-employee business to an enterprise that employs about 1,500 Manitobans.
“Think about the effects of that on Manitoba’s economy. Fifteen hundred people are able to support their families, pay taxes and use their buying power to contribute to Manitoba’s economic growth.”
Chorney’s comments were part of KAP’s Sharing the Harvest, a yearly event that promotes awareness of the agriculture industry and its contributions to the economy.
