The Municipal District of Taber's agriculture and agri-food sector is a significant contributor to the local economy. The MD of Taber's total farm area of 971,084 acres consists of 363,595 acres of irrigated land, 321,359 acres of pasture land, and 286,130 acres of non-irrigated cultivated land.
Farming operations range from large dryland grain farms and grassland leases to productive irrigated farms of various sizes producing a wide range of valuable crops. Agriculture has increased with the number of confined feeding operations developed.
As an agriculturally diversified farming community, the MD of Taber produces various crops and livestock including sugar beets, potatoes, onions, canola/mustard, oats, beans, corn, flax/barley, wheat, peas, hemp, hogs, beef, sheep, and poultry. Better crop science and genomics have helped produce higher-yielding crops.
Agricultural Highlights
MD of Taber Agricultural Highlights infographic.
* Based on the 2021 Agriculture Census by Statistics Canada.
Heat Units & Climate
The MD of Taber possesses the suitable climate, land, water and innovative agricultural producers necessary to grow, harvest and market various crops successfully.
Our region has more days of bright sunshine than anywhere else in Canada. Winters are cool yet moderate thanks to the warm Chinook winds blowing from the west coast.
| Average Daily Temperature: | 16.71˚C |
| Maximum Average Daily Temperature: | 24.14˚C |
| Minimum Average Daily Temperature: | 9.21˚C |
| Average Growing Season Rainfall: | 180.6 mm |
| Average Wind Speed: | 15.3 km/hour |
| Average Daily Solar Radiation: | 520 cal/cm2/day |
| Growing Season Start Day: | 137 |
| Growing Season End Day: | 259 |
| Growing Season Length: | 123 days |
| Days to 2000 Centigrade Heating Unit: | 102 CHU |
| Days to 2200 Centigrade Heating Unit: | 107 CHU |
| Days to 2300 Centigrade Heating Unit: | 120 CHU |
| Corn Heat Units: | 2,352 |
| Degree Days > 5°C: | 1,440 days |
