AgricultureID

Province · CA-QC

Quebec

Humid continental climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters; the St. Lawrence Lowlands form the warmer agricultural core, with shorter, cooler seasons across the surrounding highlands and north.

Major crop systems

  • Grain corn (maize)
  • Soybean
  • Forages and hay
  • Small grains (wheat, barley, oats)

Major livestock systems

  • Dairy cattle (the largest dairy herd in Canada)
  • Hogs (a major producing and exporting sector)
  • Poultry and eggs

Agricultural land: Fertile St. Lawrence Lowlands soils anchor the province’s farming; supply-managed dairy is the backbone, complemented by field crops, hogs, and a large maple sector. Irrigation: Field and forage crops are predominantly rainfed; supplemental irrigation is used mainly in vegetable and horticulture areas.

Agroecological zones: Dfb (Warm-summer humid continental), Dfa (Hot-summer humid continental)

Documented crops & livestock

Official institutions

  • Statistics Canada — National statistical agency (Census of Agriculture, crop and livestock estimates).
  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) — Federal agriculture department.
  • Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) — Provincial agriculture ministry.

Data coverage & limitations

Descriptive profile; subnational statistics are published by Statistics Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and are not reproduced numerically here.

  • Boundaries and administrative classification follow the official ISO 3166-2 system (CA-QC).
  • Any statistics from official bodies are dated and source-specific; none are reproduced here.
  • The dairy and poultry sectors operate under Canada’s supply-management system.
  • Farming concentrates in the St. Lawrence Lowlands; the northern majority of the province is non-agricultural.

Sources

This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.

  1. [1]FAO — Food and Agriculture Organization (opens in a new tab)

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Crop and livestock system context

    Type:
    Intergovernmental organization
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  2. [2]FAOSTAT — FAO statistical database (opens in a new tab)

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: National agricultural production context

    Type:
    Intergovernmental organization
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12