2022AP02 - Collection of Cost of Production Data for Irrigated Crops

Irrigation has positive impacts on farm production through increased yield and opportunities for a broader range of more stable and reliable crops. Understanding the factors that drive the success of irrigated farmers is key to further intensification and expansion.

Cost-of-production information is the basis for informative decision-making, Government economic policy development, and building a sustainable agricultural industry in Alberta. This particular project aims to collect and analyze producers’ irrigation crop data for the three years of 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The information will be used to develop the related cost-of-production benchmarks, and establish critical drivers of profitability and farm competitiveness. This is especially important for managing production and Government support policies for the economic conditions.

The information will also be used by the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) as guidance when issuing AgriStability payments and for updating the provincial crop planning and budgeting tools - CropChoice$, Cropping Alternatives - widely used by Alberta producers and other stakeholders. Published economic benchmarks will also benefit commodity associations, applied research associations and creditors/lenders.

The Contractor will complete the electronic data collection survey consisting of detailed farm financial and production cost and returns. The Contractor will use the Excel collection instrument to assure consistency in data capture, precision and accuracy. The Contractor will provide clarification of data discrepancies, as well as a report based on participant feedback on process and report interpretation for future program enhancement.

The Economics Section will generate individual enterprise business analysis reports for participating producers free of charge.

The target number of Participants in irrigated cost of production project for the both 2021 and 2022 production year is 35.