For more than a decade, Ontario farmers, policymakers, investors, and agricultural professionals have relied on the Ontario Farmland Value and Rental Value Survey [1] for insights into farmland prices, rental rates, and market dynamics across the province. The lack of publicly available information on farmland rental rates was one of the primary drivers behind the first survey in 2016.  

A collaboration between Professor Brady J. Deaton of the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (FARE), the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness set out to provide consistent, transparent and regionally detailed information on farmland rental rates, farmland prices and associated expectations. Since then, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and the National Farmers Union - Ontario have joined the ongoing efforts to provide this information. Each year, the survey is conducted in January/February and the results are provided in March/April.

The survey is a unique resource for understanding farmland market dynamics in Ontario and includes:

• Regional median estimates for farmland rental rates and values
• Long‑term tracking of rent‑to‑price ratios (capitalization rates)
• Insights into ownership, leasing, and tenant‑landlord relationships
• Stakeholder perceptions of who is purchasing farmland 

The project’s longevity is testimony to the value of collaborative extension efforts advanced through the University of Guelph.

Survey updates and full reports are available at www.onfarmlandsurvey.com [2], with additional commentary shared through @BradyDeatonJr on X.