Yukon Farms and Ranches: Agriculture History, How Farms Make Money and Strategy
Guide updated November 2026
Yukon farms are small, scattered and resilient. Statistics Canada counted 88 farms in Yukon in the 2021 Census of Agriculture, and the territory and the Northwest Territories together had only 16,470 acres of farm area. This guide is honest about that scale and highlights the operations that stand out.
| Farms | 88 farms in Yukon (2021 Census of Agriculture) |
|---|---|
| Farm area | Yukon is 99.3% of the combined Yukon and NWT farm area of 16,470 acres; average combined farm 171.6 acres |
| Top land use | Other tame hay and alfalfa make up most of the combined cropland of 5,240 acres |
| Direct sales | 55 Yukon farms reported direct sales in 2020 |
| Operators | Average Yukon operator age 54.5; about 43.3% of combined operators are female |
| Territorial government and association | Government of Yukon Agriculture Branch; Yukon Agricultural Association |
Agriculture in Yukon: A Short History
Yukon farming dates to the 1898 Gold Rush, when farms around Dawson City supplied fresh food to miners. Road building from the 1940s to the 1960s reduced the need for local production, but interest revived in the 1970s, and that revival led to the group now called the Yukon Agricultural Association, which has been active ever since.
In the 2016 Census, the Yukon Agricultural Association page records 142 farms on 10,330 hectares, with farm numbers peaking at 170 in 2001. The 2021 census changed the definition of a farm and excluded some Yukon activities, so Statistics Canada advises caution when comparing the figures.
How Farms in Yukon Make Money
Direct sales
Direct marketing is the main route to revenue. Western Producer reports that about 66% of sales are direct to consumers through farmers markets and farmgate sales, and 55 Yukon farms reported direct sales in 2020. Wholesale, including sales to grocery stores and restaurants, is growing.
Hay, livestock, eggs and vegetables
Hay is the leading crop by area, and the combined territories' cropland is mostly tame hay and alfalfa. Livestock for meat, dairy and fibre, eggs and a wide range of vegetables round out production. Poultry and egg farms produced 57.7% of the combined territories' 2020 farm operating revenue of $12.4 million.
Value-added and specialty products
Flour, eggs, dairy, potato chips, dried berries, mushrooms and fruit wine are all part of the mix. Specialty operations such as Klondike Valley Nursery and Lastraw Ranch show how niche knowledge and local markets can work.
Agriculture Strategy for Yukon Farms
Soils, water and climate
The growing season is short, summer days are long and winters are severe. Greenhouses, cold storage and shelters stretch the season, and the combined territories' greenhouse area grew 54.8% to 76,007 square feet. Klondike Valley Nursery tests about 75 apple varieties under different shelters, a model of trial-based adaptation.
Production and risk
Wildfire, remoteness and climate disruption are real risks. Western Producer notes challenges including no large animal veterinarian, no Canadian Food Inspection Agency presence for licensing, elk damage and high production costs. Plan for supply chain gaps, keep backup feed, and use the territorial veterinary program for vaccines and medications.
Technology and inputs
The Yukon Agricultural Association rents equipment, including a no-till drill and manure spreader, to small-acreage farmers, though the equipment is aging. Renewable energy is notable: 37.5% of combined farms reported it in 2021, with solar the most common. Mobile abattoirs and shared services reduce capital needs.
Farm Business Strategy in Yukon
Margins and markets
Small scale means high unit costs, so sell at retail prices through farmers markets, farmgate and restaurants. The territory aims to raise local food use, and the Yukon Grown directory helps buyers find producers.
Land, credit and succession
Only about 2% of land is privately owned, and Crown land access can take years. Seasonal agricultural leases, such as the one Lastraw Ranch used on mined placer ground, offer an alternative to permanent title. Farm capital was reported up 30% over six years. Succession matters, since the average operator age is 54.5.
Marketing and diversification
Combine products, partner with local butchers and abattoirs, and use the territory's awards for visibility. The Yukon Agricultural Association maintains a farm products and services guide, and First Nation governments are exploring agriculture on territorial land.
Farm Insight: Yukon Trends to Watch
Trends to watch: Statistics Canada counted 88 farms in 2021 while the Yukon Agricultural Association estimates closer to 200, so the true size of the sector is debated. Policy attention is growing, with the territory's agriculture policy and seasonal lease model. Farm numbers fell in the combined territories by 39.2% between 2016 and 2021, partly due to the definition change.
The honest message is that Yukon agriculture is small but real. Only a few operations meet an elite standard, and this guide profiles the two with the clearest independent recognition.
A Yukon farmer plans a growing season the way a gold miner plans a claim: with optimism, a thermos and a healthy respect for permafrost. At farm.FM we write farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and a territory where pigs graze old placer workings is irresistible material. We tease with great admiration.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
Elite Farms and Ranches in Yukon
These 2 operations are profiled in full, with history, how each makes money, lessons for other farms and published contact details.
Elite operations in Yukon
- Klondike Valley NurseryElite operation. Dawson City area, Yukon. Klondike Valley Nursery near Dawson City, Yukon: Canada's northernmost research nursery for hardy fruit trees, 2022 Yukon Agriculture Award. History and contact.
- Lastraw RanchElite operation. Bear Creek, near Dawson City, Yukon. Lastraw Ranch at Bear Creek near Dawson City, Yukon: family meat and egg producer on a seasonal lease, 2022 Yukon Agriculture Award. History, lessons, contact.
Who to Contact in Yukon: Agriculture Offices and Associations
- Statistics Canada: Small-scale diversified farming in Yukon and the Northwest Territories - 2021 Census of Agriculture article
- Government of Yukon: Find a provider of Yukon Grown products - Territorial directory of local producers
- Western Producer: Yukon farming expands despite challenges - Sector overview and obstacles
- Yukon Agricultural Association: Farming North of 60 - History, farm types and association programs
- Government of Yukon: agriculture land leases - Seasonal lease model
- Government of Yukon: 2022 Yukon Agriculture Awards - Two Klondike Valley winners
Yukon Farming FAQ
How many farms are in Yukon?
Statistics Canada counted 88 in the 2021 Census of Agriculture; the Yukon Agricultural Association estimates closer to 200.
What do Yukon farms grow?
Hay, vegetables, eggs, meat, fruit and specialty products, sold mostly directly.
Can I farm on Crown land?
Access can take years; seasonal leases are one newer option. Contact the Government of Yukon Agriculture Branch.
Who supports farmers?
The Government of Yukon Agriculture Branch and the Yukon Agricultural Association.
Yukon farms are few but inventive. Explore the profiled operations below to see how Klondike Valley Nursery and Lastraw Ranch make northern farming work.