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New Brunswick Farms: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy

Guide updated November 2026

New Brunswick farms numbered 1,851 in the 2021 Census of Agriculture, working 685,378 acres at an average of 370.3 acres each. Agriculture New Brunswick reports record farm cash receipts of $1,130.6 million in 2022, led by potatoes at $233.4 million and dairy at $142.6 million.

New Brunswick agriculture at a glance
Farms and land in farms1,851 farms on 685,378 acres; average 370.3 acres (Statistics Canada, 2021)
Top commoditiesPotatoes, dairy, chicken, blueberries, eggs, maple (by cash receipts and census)
Farm cash receipts$1,130.6 million in 2022, a record; potatoes $233.4 million
Provincial agriculture departmentAgriculture New Brunswick (Government of New Brunswick)
Federal partnersStatistics Canada; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Potato industry bodyPotatoes New Brunswick

Agriculture in New Brunswick: A Short History

Agriculture in New Brunswick grew along the Saint John River valley, the Petitcodiac and Kennebecasis valleys and the Acadian Peninsula, where early settlers cleared land for mixed farming. Potatoes became the signature crop: Potatoes New Brunswick says the province has exported potatoes for over 100 years and now ships to about 35 countries. The McCain family company, founded in 1957 in Florenceville-Bristol, anchored a processing industry that still draws contract growers across Carleton County.

Other sectors followed a regional pattern. Lowbush wild blueberries expanded on the Acadian Peninsula, where provincial staff supported responsible land-use planning, and the cranberry industry grew from about 25 acres to over 700 acres under a provincial development initiative described by the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame. Dairy farming persists around Sussex and Petitcodiac, and maple operations are heavily concentrated: the province has the highest taps per farm in Canada.

How Farms in New Brunswick Make Money

Commodity sales

Statistics Canada reports 2020 farm revenues of $734.2 million, with potato farms contributing $205.3 million, or 28.2 percent. Agriculture New Brunswick lists 2022 receipts of $233.4 million for potatoes, $142.6 million for dairy, $101.1 million for chicken, $52.6 million for blueberries and $36.8 million for eggs. Potatoes New Brunswick says about 60 percent of potato acres are for processing, 22 percent for seed and 18 percent for table, across about 200 farm operations.

Value-added and direct sales

In 2021, 25.9 percent of New Brunswick farms reported direct sales, well above the national rate of 13.6 percent. Maple stands out: 3.5 million taps on 188 farms, or 18,744 taps per farm, the highest rate in Canada. Value-added maple, wild blueberries, farm markets and processing contracts all capture margin beyond bulk commodities.

Agritourism, leases and diversification

Lowbush blueberries covered 36,127 acres on 241 farms, 22.2 percent of Canada's total and second in the country. Renewable energy was produced on 8.8 percent of farms in 2021, up from 1.7 percent in 2016. Orchards, u-pick and farm markets bring visitors, though the profiled operations focus on commercial production.

Agriculture Strategy for New Brunswick Farms

Soils, water and climate

The upper Saint John River valley has well-drained heavy soils that suit potatoes, as the growers profiled here describe: Howard Culberson & Sons credits drained heavy ground and a good rotation. Acidic, sandy barrens suit lowbush blueberries. Cool, short seasons favour forages and dairy. Drought in the Saint John River valley has hurt harvests in some years, so water management and storage matter.

Production and risk

Processing potato growers are scored on size, gravity, defects and colour, so quality management is essential. Seed potato growers must use CFIA-certified seed, per Potatoes New Brunswick. Producers can use federal-provincial business risk management programs; AgriStability payments in the province fell $3.0 million in 2022, according to Agriculture New Brunswick. Confirm current program terms with the department.

Technology and inputs

Storage, drainage, precision planting and robotic milking can lower costs on mid-size farms. Contract growers should use processor agronomists, as Lakeside Farms credits, and scout fields frequently.

Farm Business Strategy in New Brunswick

Margins and markets

Potato receipts rose 40 percent in 2022 to $233.4 million, but farm expenses are large: potato farms had $179.9 million of operating expenses in 2020. Contracts with processors cut price risk. Blueberry and maple growers should look at processing and export channels.

Land, credit and succession

The number of operators fell 17.6 percent from 2016 to 2021, compared with 3.5 percent nationally, and the average operator age rose to 57.0. Only 7.7 percent of farms had a succession plan, below the national 12.0 percent. Farm Credit Canada and local lenders finance land and equipment; Agriculture New Brunswick offers planning support. Families such as the Guests, with son Matthew continuing the farm, show that early involvement of the next generation works.

Marketing and diversification

Direct sales, orchards, maple, seed potatoes and exports are practical diversification paths. River View Orchards' owner says export markets are key for apple growth.

Farm Insight: New Brunswick Trends to Watch

Watch demographics. Fewer operators and older owners mean farms are consolidating, so land access and succession planning are priority issues for anyone planning in the next decade.

Watch processing capacity and weather. Potatoes dominate receipts, so processor contracts and drought or wet harvests drive provincial income. Diversifying into seed, blueberries or maple spreads the risk.

New Brunswick has French fries, maple taps and blueberry barrens, which is a remarkably tasty list for a comedy writer. At farm.FM we gather farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and a province that fries the nation's potatoes and taps millions of maples gets affectionate teasing about spud scorecards, sap buckets and blueberry rakers. We tip our toques to every grower who keeps the Saint John River valley green.

Part newsroom, part radio dial, farm.FM bills itself as America's first satirical farm site and plays Tractor Tunes, its country music for farmers. Browse a farm.FM writer's back catalog to see the style.

Elite Farms and Ranches in New Brunswick

These 4 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.

Elite operations in New Brunswick

Who to Contact in New Brunswick: Agriculture Offices and Associations

New Brunswick Farming FAQ

How many farms are in New Brunswick?

Statistics Canada counted 1,851 farms in the 2021 Census of Agriculture, on 685,378 acres.

What is New Brunswick's biggest farm product?

Potatoes: $233.4 million in 2022 receipts, and potato farms earned 28.2 percent of 2020 farm revenue.

Who can help a New Brunswick farmer?

Agriculture New Brunswick, Statistics Canada for data, Potatoes New Brunswick, and commodity groups.

Which elite operations are profiled?

Lakeside Farms, Howard Culberson & Sons, Guest Farms Ltd. and River View Orchards.

New Brunswick farms are led by potatoes but supported by blueberries, maple, dairy and poultry. Browse the profiled operations below to see how New Brunswick farms apply quality, family succession and market focus.

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