Encouraging a new generation of farmers

In Ontario, 55 per cent of farmers are over the age of 55 and only 9.4 per cent are under the age of 35. The average age of a farmer in Canada is also 55, and only one in eight have a succession plan in place. As these farmers get ready for retirement, we need to ensure that a new generation of farmers is able to take their place.

The good news is that the 2016 census showed an increase in the number of young people entering the agricultural industry for the first time since 1991. According to the NFU’s New Farmer Survey, of farmers with less than 10 years of farming experience 83 per cent of them are first generation farmers who didn’t grow up on a farm. Obtaining land is not easy for these farmers as farmland prices in Ontario are some of the highest in Canada with a provincial average of over $10,000 per acre. As farmland prices increase, land access becomes a barrier for a new generation of farmers who want to help secure a sustainable and local food system in Ontario.

Farmland succession and access aren’t the only issues young farmers are dealing with. Farm debt, climate change, and lack of resources and supports are also barriers to success. If we want our young farmers to succeed, and if we want to entice more young people to become farmers, we will need to address challenges within the agriculture system, including financial security, land access, rural infrastructure, policy changes, and more.

Addressing these challenges has been part of the core mandate since the founding of the NFU in 1969 which ensured leadership roles for youth at all levels of the organization. Recently, we also developed the Ontario Land Access Guide to provide a comprehensive overview of land access options and creative business models with an emphasis on non-ownership options (www.nfuontario.ca/new/land-access-guide) and follow us on social media or sign up for our e-newsletter for info on additional workshops coming in 2019.

The NFU-O is also pleased to announce our fundraising campaign for a 2019 Farm Youth Gathering. Farmers have always learned from each other, and support for this campaign will allow young farmers all over Canada to gather together to share new ideas, build skills, and plan for more resources and supports. Please visit www.nfuontario.ca/new for more information and to offer your support for the next generation of farmers.