Storage stocks background information

All cold storage warehouses in Canada are required to submit to Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) an inventory of its frozen poultry and egg product stored on premises on the first full business day of each month. The inventory reflects what is residing in the warehouse on that day; it is not a cumulative total for the entire month.

The collection of poultry and egg storage stocks information is a jointly operated program within the Federal Government of Canada. Poultry and Egg storage stocks data is shared between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Statistics Canada.

Storage stocks information is a central piece of information for the supply managed sectors such as chicken, turkey and egg, when setting poultry quota/allocation. This information is also an important industry indicator, and is used by governments, industry organizations, processors and retailers in evaluating programs and making policy and business decisions. The quality of the data is dependent on the completeness of the information received.

AAFC in collaboration with Statistics Canada issue forms for collection. AAFC is responsible to collect the data; final monthly reports are published by both AAFC and Statistics Canada.

Collection process in more detail

• Around the middle of the month, Statistics Canada sends out storage stocks forms to each cold storage warehouse storing egg products and/or poultry products in Canada requiring a paper copy of the form; AAFC sends electronic versions.
• All forms are returned to AAFC’s Animal Industry Division. AAFC undertakes follow up as required.
• Cold storage warehouses complete the form with the actual number of kilograms (not pounds) of poultry and egg product residing in its warehouses on the first full business day of the month. Instructions and definitions of content are included with the form.
  • The form used by cold storage warehouses is A6050_E Inventory statement of frozen eggs and poultry products(PDF, 1592 KB)
  • Dried Eggs are collected on a separate form, A6051_E Inventory edible dried egg products.(PDF, 1584 KB)
• Once completed the form is e-mailed, faxed or mailed to AAFC’s Animal Industry Division, Market Information Section located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
• Data is recorded and stored in a secure database.
• Internal validation and verification of storage stocks data is conducted by AAFC a week prior to web report release, allowing AAFC enough time to follow up with cold storage warehouses and make any changes if required. A storage stocks inventory report is produced, including estimated figures for cold storage warehouse failing to report on time. Web reports reflect aggregated, non-confidential data.
• On the release date agreed upon by both AAFC and Statistics Canada, a national summary report is produced. The number of estimated facilities in each province is listed in a footnote. This report is sent to Statistics Canada, Agriculture Division responsible for dissemination in its statistical system: CANSIM.
• Every effort is made to make the national storage monthly report available on AAFC’s Poultry website at 8:00am Eastern Standard Time on the release date. The national report shows storage data for the current month, with comparative monthly figures from the previous month, and from the same month the previous year. It is normally available in the middle of the month. A storage stocks update schedule is available.

Revisions to the storage data

• Following the release date of the monthly storage stocks report, AAFC will correct/revise the storage stocks data for any revised facility reports submitted.
• Once a final report is received from a cold storage warehouse, AAFC retrieves estimated figures, edits/replaces and saves final figures in its database.
• Revisions are included in next month's data published by AAFC and Statistics Canada.