Prince Edward Island Farms: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
Prince Edward Island farms are small in number but large in output. The 2021 Census of Agriculture counted 1,195 farms on 505,054 acres, and Statistics Canada reports that potatoes brought in $371.8 million, 54.5 percent of the province's $682.2 million in farm revenue in 2020. Dairy was second at 15.8 percent.
| Farms and land in farms | 1,195 farms; 505,054 acres; average 422 acres (2021 Census, Statistics Canada) |
|---|---|
| Top commodities | potatoes; dairy; beef and feedlot; grains and oilseeds; blueberries |
| Farm revenue (2020) | $682.2 million, with potatoes at $371.8 million (Statistics Canada) |
| Provincial agriculture department | PEI Department of Agriculture (Government of Prince Edward Island) |
| Producer organization | PEI Federation of Agriculture; PEI Potato Board |
| Federal and credit | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Statistics Canada; Farm Credit Canada |
Agriculture in Prince Edward Island: A Short History
Potatoes were introduced to the Island in 1758, and the first export shipment left in 1827, according to the provincial government. The Island has long been Canada's largest potato-producing province. Mixed farms with cattle, pigs and grain once dominated, and many family farms trace six generations, as profiles of J & J Farms Ltd. and other Island operations show.
Land has always been a public issue on the Island. The Lands Protection Act came into effect in 1982 and limits individuals to 1,000 acres and corporations to 3,000 acres, with allowances for non-arable and leased land. Non-residents and corporations need cabinet approval for larger purchases. Farm numbers have fallen: the 2021 census recorded 11.7 percent fewer farms than 2016 and 12.3 percent less farm area.
How Farms in Prince Edward Island Make Money
Commodity sales
Potatoes are the engine. The province reports potatoes on 85,500 acres in 2019, with 25.2 million hundredweight harvested and $406 million in international exports. Statistics Canada puts the average potato farm at 1,252 acres of farm area. Dairy farms numbered 157 in 2021, and in 2019 the province reported 166 farms shipping milk and 116.6 million litres sold off-farm. Beef generated about $31 million in 2019 cash receipts, and barley, oats, wheat and soybean about $43.14 million.
Value-added and direct sales
Statistics Canada reports that 17.2 percent of PEI farms made direct sales of unprocessed products in 2020, above the Canadian figure of 13.1 percent. The province lists 47 certified organic producers on 11,700 acres, and blueberries covered 12,500 acres in 2020. Packing and dealing add margin, as the Eric C. Robinson Inc. profile shows.
Agritourism, leases and diversification
Elite operations diversify beyond the crop: J & J Farms Ltd. runs a trucking operation, and honey and pollination serve fruit growers, with 4,453 colonies used for pollination in 2019. Statistics Canada found 43.4 percent of operators had off-farm work in 2020, so off-farm income is a common risk tool.
Agriculture Strategy for Prince Edward Island Farms
Soils, water and climate
Island farmers use rotation and cover to protect soils. Statistics Canada reports that 29.2 percent of PEI farms plowed down green crops and 21.9 percent used winter cover crops, both well above national shares, and 48.5 percent did soil sample testing, the highest of any province. Hilltop Produce Ltd. rotates potato fields every three years, tied to PEI's environmental rules. Sorghum and alfalfa between potato crops, as at J & J Farms Ltd., build soil.
Production and risk
Spread risk across crops and markets. The Robinson family grows potatoes, soybeans, barley and forages, while dairy operators like Redview Jerseys grow their own silage. Match crop insurance and AgriStability enrolment to your rotation, and use provincial programs through the Department of Agriculture. Chip stock, fresh and seed potatoes have different specifications, so decide early which market fits your storage.
Technology and inputs
GPS guidance, as at Hilltop Produce, and virtual fencing, as at Redview Jerseys, show how technology can trim labour and improve grazing or field precision. Slow-release fertilizer was used by 31.8 percent of PEI farms. Renewable energy was reported by 10.6 percent of farms, so energy savings are a growing option.
Farm Business Strategy in Prince Edward Island
Margins and markets
Potatoes and milk are supply-managed or contract-driven, so margins depend on cost control and quality. Chip stock, processing and seed potatoes each have buyers with strict specs. Closed herds and home-grown feed protect dairy margins when transport costs to the Island are high. Shared packing infrastructure, like Mid-Isle Farms Inc., lets smaller growers capture margin.
Land, credit and succession
Farmland is the biggest pressure point. CBC reports that PEI farmland prices rose 83 percent from 2018 to 2023, to an average of $6,432 per acre, and the PEI Federation of Agriculture warns the Island could lose half its farmland by 2050 without more action. Farm Credit Canada and the Canadian farmland value reports are the benchmark for lending. Only 11.3 percent of PEI farms had a succession plan in 2021, and operators average 56.4 years, so write down a plan and consider partnerships, as the Lawless and Roberts families did in R&L Farms.
Marketing and diversification
Build brand and relationships. Farm tours and social media, as the Smallman family uses, and breed registration, as at Redview Jerseys, build recognition. Awards such as Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers bring visibility to lenders and partners.
Farm Insight: Prince Edward Island Trends to Watch
Watch farmland loss and succession. The Federation of Agriculture says PEI lost 12.3 percent of farm area from 2016 to 2021, and Statistics Canada found 60.6 percent of operators were 55 or older. Farmers who plan for transfer and secure land through leases or partnerships will be better positioned.
Watch soil health and energy. Island farms lead in soil testing and cover crops, and processors such as Cavendish Farms, Amalgamated Dairies Limited and Atlantic Beef Products depend on steady raw product, so demand for reliable supply remains strong.
An Island that grows more than a fifth of Canada's potato acres deserves its own comedy section, and the red soil has surely heard every tuber pun. For farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes with a Maritime accent, visit farm.FM, where even a three-year rotation can be a punchline. We say it with affection for every Island spud grower.
farm.FM got there first as the nation's first satirical farm site, and it backs the writing with Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Here is one contributor's collection of farm satire to start with.
Elite Farms and Ranches in Prince Edward Island
These 4 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in Prince Edward Island
- Eric C. Robinson Inc.Elite operation. Albany, Prince Edward Island. Eric C. Robinson Inc. is a multi-generation Prince County, PEI potato and grain operation. Read its history, revenue streams, lessons and contact details.
- Hilltop Produce Ltd.Elite operation. Kinkora, Prince Edward Island. Hilltop Produce Ltd. of Kinkora, PEI is a four-generation Russet potato grower run by 2014 Outstanding Young Farmers. See history, revenue streams and lessons.
- J & J Farms Ltd.Elite operation. Knutsford, Prince Edward Island. J & J Farms Ltd. is a sixth-generation PEI chip stock potato farm and 2022 Atlantic Outstanding Young Farmers winner. See history, revenue streams and contacts.
- Redview JerseysElite operation. Kensington, Prince Edward Island. Redview Jerseys of Kensington, PEI is a purebred Jersey dairy named the 2026 Atlantic Outstanding Young Farmers honouree. See history, revenue and contacts.
Who to Contact in Prince Edward Island: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- PEI Government: Agriculture on PEI - Provincial agriculture overview with commodity statistics
- Statistics Canada: PEI 2021 Census of Agriculture - Farm counts, potato and dairy statistics
- PEI Potato Board: PEI Potatoes - Industry body page for the Island's potato sector
- PEI Federation of Agriculture - Provincial farm organization and member profiles
- CBC: PEI on track to lose half its farmland by 2050 - Federation of Agriculture on farmland loss
- CBC: Lands Protection Act proposed changes - Ownership limits and proposed amendment
- FCC: Canadian farmland values, first half of 2026 - Farm Credit Canada farmland value release
Prince Edward Island Farming FAQ
How many farms does Prince Edward Island have?
The 2021 Census of Agriculture counted 1,195 farms on 505,054 acres, an average of 422 acres.
What is the biggest crop?
Potatoes. They brought in $371.8 million in 2020, 54.5 percent of farm revenue, per Statistics Canada.
Can anyone buy Island farmland?
Under the Lands Protection Act, individuals are limited to 1,000 acres and corporations to 3,000, with cabinet approval needed for non-residents and larger purchases.
Which farms are profiled here?
Eric C. Robinson Inc., Hilltop Produce Ltd., J & J Farms Ltd. and Redview Jerseys.
Prince Edward Island farms combine potato scale, strong dairy, tight land rules and unusually good soil stewardship. Use the profiled operations below, Eric C. Robinson Inc., Hilltop Produce Ltd., J & J Farms Ltd. and Redview Jerseys, as examples of how Island families build elite businesses.