Canadian farm cash receipts increased in the first half of 2026, supported by stronger livestock and crop revenues, with canola accounting for most of the increase on the crop side.
A Statistics Canada farm income report on Monday showed total national farm cash receipts of $51.8 billion during the first two quarters, up $2.1 billion or 4.2% from the same period in 2025.
Total crop receipts reached $27.1 billion, up 4.1% from $26 billion a year earlier. Canola was the standout, with first-half receipts climbing to $7.692 billion from $6.361 billion in 2025, an increase of $1.330 billion or 20.9%. Higher marketings of 15.6% and prices of 4.6% drove the increase, while canola crush was 15.1% higher and stronger Chinese demand and exports supported prices, StatsCan said.
Receipts for several other major grains were lower. Wheat excluding durum generated $3.998 billion in receipts during the first half, down 5.7% from $4.24 billion a year earlier. Durum receipts declined 9.5% to $923.7 million from $1.02 billion.
Soybean receipts fell 13.2% to $1.125 billion from $1.29 billion, while corn for grain receipts declined 10.9% to $1.32 billion from $1.48 billion.
Elsewhere, barley receipts increased $165.6 million as marketings rose 37.4%. Dry pea receipts gained $161.7 million and lentil receipts increased $134 million, with sharply higher exports helping offset pressure from larger supplies and weaker prices.
Livestock provided another major source of growth. Total livestock and livestock product receipts rose 8.7% to $23.2 billion, led by a $1.1-billion increase in cattle receipts. Cattle prices were 17.7% higher, more than offsetting a 3.8% decline in marketings. Supply managed receipts increased 5.5% to $8.1 billion.
The overall increase in farm receipts was partly offset by sharply lower government payments. Direct payments fell 35.5% to $1.5 billion, down $828.0 million from a year earlier, with lower crop insurance payments accounting for more than 80% of the decline.
Total farm cash receipts increased in nearly every province in the first half of 2026, led by gains of $744.5 million in Saskatchewan (+7% to $11.33 billion) and $591.2 million in Alberta (+4.7% to $13.18 billion). Manitoba farm cash receipts totaled $5.139 billion in the first half of 2026, up slightly from $5.128 billion in the same period of 2025. Ontario farm cash receipts totaled $11.42 billion in the first half of 2026, an increase of about 3.6%.
