Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA): agriculture land use

This data resource, provided by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) provides agricultural-type land use. Classifications include agricultural farming such as field vegetables, corn, grain, tobacco, sod, as well as other uses such as recreation, nursery, pastured woodlots and more. The data set was originally received in 2006 and consisted of one shape file that covered most of Southern Ontario.

On April 5, 2010 the Geospatial Centre received the same data set that is expanded to cover all of Southern Ontario. Agricultural Land Use file that Land Information Ontario that covers all of Southern Ontario.

Land use systems in this data set are defined as:

Field crop system: continuous row crops, corn system, mixed system (rotation of grain, corn or beans, and hay), grain system, hay system, pasture system, and grazing system

Fruit and grape system: orchard

Speciality agriculture: extensive field vegetables, market gardens/truck farms, tobacco system, nursery

Non-System land uses: idle agricultural land (5-10 years), idle agricultural land (over 10 years), woodland/lots, pastured woodland/lots, reforestation, built-up/urban, swamp/marsh/bog, extraction1 (pits and quarries), extraction2 (topsoil removal), sod farms, recreation, water

The resource includes the following land use data:

Built up/urban
Continuous row crops
Corn system
Extensive field vegetables
Extraction type 1 and 2
Grain system
Grazing system
Hay system
Idle agriculture land (5-10 years)
Idle agriculture land (over 10 years)
Market gardens/ truck farms
Mixed system

Nursery
Orchard
Pasture system
Pastured woodlots
Recreation
Reforestation
Sod farms
Swamp/marsh/bog
Tobacco system
Water
Woodlots

Spatial reference and data type

These data sets are available in geographic (lat/long) coordinates; horizontal datum is North American Datum (NAD) 83, zone 17. These data are stored as Esri shapefiles. Other data formats can be accommodated, as the Geospatial Centre has access to a number of conversion utilities.

Data access

To request this data, please fill out the Ask-Us form and include which layers (shapefiles) you are interested in obtaining. The dataset will be shared with you via OneDrive upon completion of the data release agreement form. You may also make an in-person appointment using the same form.

Use restrictions/licensing/copyright

This material is provided for academic, research, teaching, and personal use only. A data release agreement must be agreed to before the data is delivered. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs should be acknowledged on any derivative product, such as a map or an image.