Agriculture in the county is highly diversified and produces the widest range of crops and livestock of any farming area east of southern Ontario. The county produces over two-thirds of the province's tree fruit, potatoes, vegetables, chicken and turkey and half or more of the eggs, cash crop grains, hogs and honey and close to a third or more of home grown grain, nursery products, feed cattle and strawberries. Total farm production in the county on a per capita basis is almost two and one half times the national average.
The real growth in output recorded by the local agriculture industry over the 1980 to 1995 period was about 28%. In Kings County, agriculture and related services employment has increased 13% since 1981 and 5% since 1991. Poultry and egg production, and related activities employs more Kings County residents than any single local industry.
Agriculture related manufacturing is also a major employer. In 1997, there were 37 such secondary establishments operating in the county. There are sizable plants in both the potato chip industry (Hostess Frito-Lay) and the bakery industry (Sarsfield Foods). The feed industry is the most important farm supply industry.
The importance of agriculture to the scenic beauty of the Annapolis Valley and hence to recreational visitors and tourism-related businesses should be noted. Different farms regularly receive out-of-province bus tours. Community fairs further increase the appeal of the county to visitors.
The eastern end of the Annapolis Valley has remained, with brief exception for 300 years, the largest agriculture production area east of Quebec with the industry successfully shifting to new opportunities as economic conditions and technologies has changed.
From Economics Report, NS Dept. of Agriculture and Marketing, Halifax, April 1999
