Inventory Statement of Butter and Cheese (BUCH)

Detailed information for April 1, 2026

The purpose of this survey is to produce statistics on stocks of butter and cheese held in cold storage warehouses.

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology

Description

This census collects data from cold storage warehouses on butter and cheeses stocks that are required to produce economic statistics for the dairy processing industry in Canada.
Data collected from cold storage warehouses are aggregated with information from other sources to produce official estimates of national and provincial economic production for the dairy processing industry. Survey estimates are made available to governments, associations, and the public.

The data are used by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Dairy Commission, provincial governments and the Dairy Farmers of Canada to assist in the development, administration and evaluation of dairy policies. Numerous government and non-government organizations are involved in the administration of the dairy sector and require detailed information particularly because this sector operates within a supply-management framework that manages farm-level production, imports, exports and prices.

Statistical activity

The survey is administered as part of the Integrated Business Statistics Program (IBSP). The IBSP has been designed to integrate approximately 200 separate business surveys into a single master survey program. The IBSP aims at collecting industry and product detail at the provincial level while minimizing overlap between different survey questionnaires. The redesigned business survey questionnaires have a consistent look, structure, and content.

The integrated approach makes reporting easier for firms operating in different industries because they can provide similar information for each branch operation. This way they avoid having to respond to questionnaires that differ for each industry in terms of format, wording and even concepts. The combined results produce more coherent and accurate statistics on the economy.

• Additional documentation

Reference period: April 1, July 1, and October 1 (of the calendar year), and January 1 (of the following calendar year)

Collection period: Ten days following the reference period

Subjects

• Agriculture and food (formerly Agriculture)
• Food, beverage and tobacco
• Livestock and aquaculture
• Manufacturing

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The target population consists of all cold storage warehouses that keep butter and cheese stocks.

The observed population comprises of all statistical establishments on Statistics Canada's Business Register having been identified as being Cold storage warehouses that keep butter and cheese stocks.

Instrument design

The electronic questionnaire was designed by Statistics Canada as part of the Integrated Business Statistics Program. This program incorporates business surveys into a single framework, using questionnaires with a consistent look, structure and content.

Sampling

This survey is a census.

Data sources

Responding to this survey is mandatory.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents.

Respondents are contacted by email or letter and given an access code for the electronic questionnaire for the survey, which can be responded to in either official language. Non-response follow -up is conducted via email, telephone or fax. Respondents are required to report all data for products in stock on the first business day of the quarter.

The survey, on average, takes respondents 15 minutes to complete.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .