Forage Seed Usage Survey

Detailed information for July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025

This survey collects data to better evaluate trends in the usage of forage seed varieties.

Data release - March 12, 2026

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

Description

Results from this survey provide the industry and the government with information that improves policy making in the forage industry.

Reference period: The reference period starts July 1st of a given year and ends June 30th of the following year.

Collection period: Collection period for the survey starts mid-October and lasts until the end of January of the following year.

Subjects

• Agriculture and food (formerly Agriculture)
• Crops and horticulture

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The target population for the Annual Forage Seed Usage Survey includes all known wholesalers of forage seed (approximately 50) in Canada. The list is updated occasionally from industry sources.

Instrument design

The questionnaire was developed by subject matter specialists through consultation with industry experts. Questions are revamped, added or removed as the need arises, provided proper Questionnaire Design Resource Center (QDRC) testing. Required changes are usually identified by subject matter specialist research and changes in market trends.

As of 2019, the questionnaire is offered in electronic format for use on Statistics Canada website. The survey can now be self-completed by respondents as well as on the phone with an interviewer.

Sampling

This survey is a census with a cross-sectional design.

Sampling unit:
The sampling unit is the enterprise.

Stratification method:
N/A

Sampling and sub-sampling:
It is a census, therefore all units of the population are participating in the exercise. No specific sampling is done.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: 2025-10-10 to 2026-01-30

Responding to this survey is voluntary.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents.

This survey data is now collected using a web-based electronic version of the questionnaires. A letter or an email containing a Survey Access Code is sent to respondents to access their survey on-line. Follow up with an interviewer is also conducted using the computer assisted telephone interview method, in conjunction with the Business Collection Portal. The conducting of the interview is offered in both official languages.

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

Error detection

Questionnaires are verified manually and compared to previous year's reporting. Questionable data is verified by telephone follow-up.

Imputation

In the case of non-response, imputation is done using data from the firm's responses provided in the preceding year.

Estimation

Since this is a census, the estimation is done by summing up all responses provided by respondents for each given category, after validation and imputation is performed on all records.

Quality evaluation

Disseminated data are subject to a certain degree of error such as incorrect information from respondents or mistakes introduced during processing. Reasonable efforts are made to ensure such errors are kept within acceptable limits through careful questionnaire design, editing of data for inconsistencies and subsequent follow-up and quality control of manual processing operations.

Data quality is maintained by editing techniques that are very rigorous. The data are also compared to previously reported estimates and other sources when available. Data discrepancies are either scrutinized by professional staff or the company(ies) involved are contacted.

Totals may not equal the sum of their parts due to the use of conversion factors or rounding of fractions to whole numbers.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

This methodology does not apply to this survey.