The study of Northumberland, Hastings and Prince Edward Counties found that agriculture supports 13,994 jobs in the three counties, says the study co-ordinator Sue Miller, a Milford beef farmer, south of Picton. While more than 5,000 people are employed in agriculture and related industries, another 8,732 jobs are an indirect result from agriculture in the counties.

The good news is that economic developers from the three counties are referring to the study before making decisions, she said. "We knew agriculture was important in the three counties but it was more important than we anticipated."

The bad news, the study shows, is that from 1996 to 2001, farmers did not increase in prosperity. Gross farm receipts increased by the same rate as operating expenses. "Profits are getting narrower," Miller said. Gross farm receipts increased from $241 million in 1996 to $261 million in 2001, an increase of $20 million. However, operating expenses jumped from $208 million in 1996 to $231 million in 2001, an increase of $23 million.

There were about 10,000 farms in the three counties back in 1941. That dropped dramatically in 30 years to about 4,500 in 1971. In 2001, the three counties had about 2,500 farms. To qualify as a farm, one must earn at least $7,000 in on-farm income, says Statistics Canada. Meantime, average farm size has increased from almost 200 acres in 1976 to almost 250 acres per farm in 2001.

What are some of the recommendations? Miller says agriculture liaison committees should be set up in each municipality. Farm organizations need to lobby governments.