AGRICULTURE
News
The best agricultural land in Charlevoix consists of various types of clay and loams, of sandy or argillaceous compositions, measuring an area of 70 square kilometres. Only 60% of this area has been cleared. In comparison, 15% of the 1,100 square kilometres of sandy clay have been cleared. There is also an area of about 15% of the 375 square kilometres of loamy sands that have been cultivated but without great success. Overall, good or medium quality lands cover no more than 200 square kilometres. This represents only one-third of one percent of the Comté of Charlevoix, an area measuring 6,169 square kilometres.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, in Saint-Hilarion cultivated land has gone from 167 to 130 square kilometres between 1979 and 1996. The beautiful scenery of the region has been affected by this decline. Grazing land occupy a third of the space. Millet, clover and alfalfa occupy 60% of the area, and a smaller percentage, i.e. 10%, compared to previous times, is occupied by wheat, oat and barley.
The number of farms has gone from 613 to 254 between 1979 and 1996. Average acreage of farms has gone from 27 hectares to 1 hectare of cultivated land. It is to be noted that since 1996, one cannot claim to be officially a farmer, if one’s gross revenues are below to $5,000 per annum.
We are not talking of living on a farm, we are talking business. Cattle farms have gone from 156 to 97 since 1979. And the other 230 dairy farms have gone from 4,000 to 1,800 between 1973 and 1996. Cull cows have gone from 2,000 to 2,800. Pigs, from 30,000 to 40,000. Poultry, from 400,000 to 700,000. Sheep have gone from a few to 1,000.
Average annual income of farms has gone from $20,000 to $110,000 between 1971 and 1994. Export markets towards the big cities and outside Quebec are growing more than ever. Markets for certain vegetables, snails, veal and cheese, are very promising. About 6% of the active population was employed in agriculture in 1991. Today, this percentage is lower.
While showing uncultivated or wild lands, this picture paints a curious system of paradoxes. There are sunny areas but the shadows are gaining in many places. Charlevoix is home to a little more than 30,000 persons in 20 municipalities. The population considered “active” is composed of 13,000 people, 10% are on relief and 20% are unemployed. These numbers suggest that new avenues such as access to the land and governmental attention for the purpose of working and building, should be sought actively. A network of small farms could also become an essential complement to big farming.
Author: Yvon Dubé