The platform is designed to support and amplify the next generation of Canadian ag leaders
A new resource is available to help young Canadian farmers.
At its annual general meeting, Farm Management Canada (FMC), with the help of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), Farm Credit Canada (FCC), and other industry stakeholders over the last two years, launched Canada’s Young Farmers to support producers between 18 and 40 years old.
“The industry took a look at the young farmer space and asked how we can build it back up, after the Canadian Young Farmers Forum stopped operations,” Nick Oakley, business development lead with FMC, told Farms.com. “We wanted to create something that empowers young farmers, provides them with resources and education opportunities, and come together to amplify their voices to have a national conversation about young farmers.”
The online platform aggregates industry events, provincial and national young farmer organizations, leadership programs, and funding opportunities, into one location.
The CFA and FCC supported the platform by conducting a comprehensive young farmer survey across the country.
The questionnaire asked questions related to involvement in young farmer groups, as well as topics participants deemed important.
Throughought the process, it became clear farmers in this demographic, regardless of location, face similar challenges.
“There’s a lot of united concerns across the country, (young farmers) have similar struggles in common areas,” Oakley said. “Topics farmers identified as timely include farm transition, financial literacy, risk management, and land access.”
Canada will need young farmers.
RBC’s Farmer 4.0 report, for example, estimates about 40 per cent of Canadian farmers will retire by 2033.
And the 2021 Census of Agriculture found 22,590 farmers under the age of 35. In 2001 that number was 39,920.
That’s a decrease of 23,471 young farmers in 20 years.
For context, Percival Molson Memorial Stadium where the Montreal Alouettes play, has a maximum seating capacity of 23,025.
Experienced farmers are part of the young producer program too.
Listening to what they would’ve liked to know at an earlier age will help the younger farmers when it’s their time to make important decisions, Oakley said.
“We hear all the time from experienced farmers that if they learned about financial literacy or succession planning earlier, it could’ve changed the trajectory of their farm,” he said. “Canada’s Young Farmers is about taking those lessons and meeting young farmers where they are so they have the tools and mentors available to them when they need them.”