Vista on the Agri-Food Industry and the Farm Community - The Canadian Bioproducts Industry, 2003 and 2006

The responsibility of the analysis and interpretation of the results is that of the author(s). [...] Vista on the Agri-Food Industry and the Farm Community June 2009 Vista on the Agri-Food Industry and the to Geneviève Madore and Josée Bourdeau for Farm Community their contribution in the publication process. [...] The average number of bioproduct employees per firm using agricultural biomass dropped from 30 in 2003 to nine in 2006, reflecting the relative increase in the number of smaller firms in the sector and the decline of bioproduct activity by some larger firms. [...] The type of biomass used by firms depended on the size of the firm and the type of bioproduct being developed or marketed. [...] The significant structural shift in the bioproducts industry toward smaller firms and lower revenues and employment from bioproduct activities indicates a need for additional research into such areas as: the causes behind the structural shift; the economic viability of bioproducts in Canada; and the roles that government policies and programs play in supporting the industry.