B.C. LAND FORUM NOV 14 to 30, 2022 – ONLINE

Our third annual LAND FORUM is here!

We were thrilled to see so many of you in the community this summer at our on-farm Land Socials. The B.C. Land Matching Program team is super excited to welcome you back to learn together and take a deeper dive into information and interactive sessions about land sharing and starting a farm business. The Land Forum is accessible online so that we can reach you wherever you live and have Internet access. We can’t wait to share knowledge and online space with you all!

WHEN: November 14 – 30, 2022. All times are in Pacific Daylight Time (-7 hours GMT)

WHERE: Online on unceded Indigenous territories across what is today known as B.C. Join us from the comfort of your couch, office, tractor, compost heap – wherever you find yourself able to tune in!

RSVP: Register for the Land Forum here and you’ll get access to links for all the webinars.

QUESTIONS: network@youngagrarians.org  |  1-855-561-4633

Land Forum sessions are for landholders and land seekers, and will cover the following topics:

• Leasing basics and info on farm business planning
• Skills-building in negotiation to support the success of land sharing relationships
• You’ll hear from Land Matchers, farmers and experts from around B.C.
• Opportunities to connect with farmers and landholders in your community at regional networking sessions

*Farmers and landholders in Central and Northern B.C., join us for a special in-person Land Forum session on November 20 in Prince George – learn more and register here!

Schedule

Workshop Descriptions

NOV 14 | 7 – 8:45PM: LAND LEASING 101 & REGIONAL NETWORKING
Learn about land leasing – plus network with others in your region!

Got Land? Want Land? This webinar offers an overview of the services available to farmers and farmland holders through the B.C. Land Matching Program (BCLMP). This webinar is applicable to farmers of all production types and sizes looking to start or grow their farm business on leased land, and all farmland holders who are interested in making their land available for agriculture. It includes information on leasing, legal considerations, and how to build and maintain stable land agreements that are mutually beneficial.

A 1-hour info session by BCLMP Program Manager Darcy Smith (with time for questions!) will be followed by 45-minute regional networking sessions, where regional Land Matchers from across B.C. will host breakout rooms for land seekers and landholders to connect Land Link-style! The breakout networking is a great opportunity to share your land needs and opportunities, build community (even through a computer), and virtually meet your regional Land Matcher.

This session is for land seekers and landholders. Anyone considering sharing land or currently participating in the B.C. Land Matching Program is encouraged to attend!

NOV 16 | 7 – 8 PM: SHOWCASE: LAND LISTING SHOWCASE
Land Matchers highlight their top picks for available land in BC

This brand-new session will highlight prime land opportunities from around B.C. Hosted by the Land Matchers, this session is the perfect chance to learn more about the most exciting land opportunities available for lease in B.C., and ask your questions to see if there is a fit for you. Landholders may also be in attendance for select land opportunities.

This session is primarily aimed at land seekers. Landholders who are curious about what other land opportunities look like are welcome to attend.

NOV 17 | 7 – 8 PM: PANEL: PERSPECTIVES ON SHARING FARMLAND
Land-lease success stories from farmers and landholders

Thinking about leasing out your land, or launching a farm business? There’s no one better to learn from than someone who’s already doing it! This panel discussion will feature farmers and landholders matched through the B.C. Land Matching Program sharing their experiences leasing land – highlights, lessons learned, and advice for you.

Panelists: Abdul Majid of BC Garlic, Dave Semmelink of Lentelus Farms, Katie Underwood of Peas n’ Carrots Farm, and Tara Nakashima

This session is for land seekers and landholders.

NOV 21 | 7-8:30 PM: NON-FAMILY FARM TRANSITION 101 with WILDWOOD FARM
Learn the basics and hear from farmers in a lease-to-own transition

More and more farmers are exploring non-family farm transition as they look towards passing on their farm businesses and/or land. This webinar provides both current and entering farmers with a framework for understanding non-family transition, along with information and considerations about different models. After an initial introduction to farm transition with Darcy Smith, we’ll meet Kolby Peterson and Tim and Linda Ewert from Wildwood Farm, who will share their experience navigating transition with a lease-to-own agreement.

This session is for land seekers and landholders.

NOV 22 | 7 – 8 PM: LEGAL LITERACY: LIVING ON THE LAND
Decoding regulations and considerations for on-farm housing with Priyan Samarakoone, Andrew Adams, and Darcy Smith

Build your understanding of the legal ins and outs of living on the land in leasing arrangements. This session will provide an overview of local regulations, ALR residential flexibility regulations, and agreement frameworks.

This session is for land seekers and landholders.

About Priyan Samarakoone: Priyan was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka and moved to Vancouver in 1996 when his family fled the civil war. He completed his Bachelor of Science majoring in biology at the University of British Columbia in 2006 and completed his studies in the UK, graduating with honours from Nottingham Law School in 2008. He was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2013, after which he spent 6 years at a pro bono organization in Vancouver representing clients at all levels of court in B.C. as well as multiple tribunals, before establishing EQ Law in 2019. For the past four years, Priyan has worked with the B.C. Land Matching Program drafting and reviewing leases.

NOV 24 | 7 – 8:30 PM: NEGOTIATION 101
A guide to having collaborative conversations

Join Tessa Thompson and Darcy Smith for a crash course on negotiating lease agreements. This session will feature easy-to-adopt tips for having great collaborative conversations so you can work together to figure out your land sharing terms.

This session is for land seekers and landholders.

NOV 28 | 7 – 8-30 PM: HOW TO BUSINESS PLAN WITHOUT LAND
A hands-on look at exercising your planning muscles

Remember the old saying, it’s not the destination but the journey that matters? The same can be said for the process of planning for a farm business when you don’t yet have land. Your vision for your farm determines what you need in terms of land access and infrastructure including the scale and location of your farm, your capital needs, start-up costs, what you will grow, where your market is….these are important decisions to consider.

Engaging in the process of planning for your farm business will help you factor in these and other variables that will affect the long term viability of your farm. The time it takes you to find the right land situation for your business is well-spent exercising your business planning and management muscles so you are well-prepared to launch your business when the lease is signed. Join Melanie Buffel, Manager of the YA Business Mentorship Network, in this workshop to learn more about the planning process and tools in order to create a viable farm business plan before you commit to a land lease.

This session is primarily aimed at land seekers.

NOV 29 | 7 – 8 PM: PANEL: COLLABORATIVE FARMING
Creative ways to work with other farmers for mutual success

Are you interested in lightening your load by working with other farmers? At this session, you’ll hear from farmers who are exploring creative ways to share resources, market collectively, and collaborate, in formal and informal ways.

This session is primarily aimed at land seekers and is open to anyone interested in learning about collaborating with other farmers.

NOV 30 | 7 – 8 PM: CO-OWNING FARMLAND with COHO BC
Resources and considerations for buying land together

Land ownership feels increasingly out of reach in BC. This session from guest speakers COHO BC will showcase alternative ways to purchase land in collaboration with others. Whether you’re looking at buying land with other farmers, or are a landholder considering opportunities to have farmers buy into your land, COHO BC will provide valuable insights and info to help you explore your goals and define your potential next steps.

This session is aimed at anyone interested in alternatives ways to purchase land.

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Thank you to everyone who is sharing their expertise and stories with us for this Land Forum!  We can’t wait to connect with you online across B.C.! Meanwhile, you can learn more about the services and support offered through the B.C. Land Matching Program here.

The B.C. Land Matching Program is funded by the Province of British Columbia, with support from Columbia Basin Trust, the Cowichan Valley Regional District, Bullitt Foundation, and the Real Estate Foundation of BC.