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The Census of Agriculture 2016 in Canada: Key Methodological Considerations
1. Regional Roundtable on
World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2020
Nairobi, Kenya,
18-22 September 2017
The Census of Agriculture 2016 in Canada:
Key Methodological Considerations
Technical Session 04
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Frédéric Normand
Chief, Census of Agriculture
Agriculture Division
Statistics Canada
Frederic.Normand@canada.ca
2. Background and Scope
• A separate Census of Agriculture began in 1896 with the first mid-decade
Census of Agriculture in 1956
• Classical approach as defined by the FAO’s WCA 2020
• Legal basis: Collected under the Authority of the Statistics Act
• Unique source for:
• small/custom geographic areas
• enumerating rare and emerging commodities
• Provides:
• frame information for the survey program
• comprehensive farm data on commodities, farm finances and farm practices and socio-
economic data on operators and their families
• Meet users needs for agricultural and environmental programs, health
programs, trade and crisis management (floods, disease outbreaks)
• Meet international commitments such as providing accurate measures for
international comparability to the FAO and OECD
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5. Background and Scope (4)
Databases created from the Census of Agriculture:
◦ Farm database – Agricultural operation level
◦ Farm database – Census Geographic Components level
◦ Operator database
◦ Agriculture-Population Linkage database
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6. Integration with Census of Population
Conducted simultaneously in May
◦ Timing not optimal for farmers (seeding season) but…
Reduction of costs
Improve quality (coverage and response)
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Projects conducted with CEPOP:
• Public communications
• Census Help Line
• Questionnaire printing
• Mail-out, Data reception, Capture,
Internet response
• AG-POP linkage
Projects conducted independently:
• Content determination
• Census of Agriculture frame
management
• Follow-up (Non-response &
failed edit)
• Data processing
7. Methodological Considerations:
Target Population
All agricultural operations in Canada that produce
any agricultural products with the intention to sell.
Farms with very low farm revenues—commonly
called "hobby" farms—are included as long as the
agricultural products produced are intended for
sale.
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8. Methodological Considerations: Content
determination
Content consultation
◦ Consultation workshops across the country
◦ All requests for content require a written submission
Content testing
◦ Qualifying content suggestions are tested with farmers using
One on one interviews
Focus Group
◦ Conducted by a group of experts
◦ Farm operators are selected
Cabinet approval
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9. Methodological Considerations: Frame
From the Farm Register to Business Register (BR)
◦ New unknown population
Frame coming from:
◦ Statistics Canada’s Business Register
Updated with signals from regular production and financial surveys
Tax data
Agricultural Frame Update Survey
Multiple sources of administrative data
◦ Self identification on the Census of Population
◦ Sample from ‘unknown’ population
Population drawn from the BR in February for May
collection
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10. Methodological Considerations: Data Collection
Use of Remote Collection Methods only
◦ No ‘in-field’ enumeration
◦ Invitation letters with secure code to access electronic questionnaires
(CASI)
◦ Mail-out / Mail-back
◦ Census Help line
◦ CATI for Follow-ups
Collection done at the Headquarters and 5 Regional offices
CASI and CATI applications are the same; only 1
questionnaire is used for all units in the Census
Early collection for complex operations (3 months prior to the
regular collection)
Use of administrative data to prioritise follow-ups
Regular Collection completed in 4 months
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11. Methodological Considerations: Data Processing
Data Reception and Capture
Match / Unduplication
Geo-edit
◦ Assigning a geo code to the farm HQ address provided
◦ Web mapping application for 2021
Error detection
Micro-Edits
◦ Will be fully automated in 2021
Imputation
◦ Minimum content
◦ Donor imputation
◦ Use of integrated admin. and survey data in 2021
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12. Methodological Considerations: Validation
Records stratified based upon contribution to estimates – size by
geography, industry or by operation type
Sort records based upon coherence with referential and
administrative data sets using a score function
Attempt is made to validate records by section of the questionnaire
Place data validation calls to respondents for impacting results
Clean the imputation donor pool
13. Methodological Considerations: Analysis
Review of socio-economic context, outlook and development of
anticipation of the results
Consultation with industry experts
Validation with numerous administrative data sources and Earth
observation data
Comparison with other production / commodities surveys
Coherence with Supply-Use model
Results for each variable and each province must be
presented and formally approved by the Census of
Agriculture Certification Committee
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14. Methodological Considerations: Dissemination
All data are disseminated exactly one year after Census day
(available for free in StatCan’s CANSIM database)
Thematic maps and articles
Provincial highlights
Road shows across the country
Custom Requests
Additional products released later;
◦ Linkages with Census of Population
◦ Linkages with Tax data
◦ Agriculture at a glance-in depth analytical articles using Census data.
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