Tag Archives: National Farm Union Youth Network

The National New Farmer Coalition needs you!

Posted by Ayla Fenton on February 24, 2015

Originally posted at http://www.nfu.ca/blog/new-farmer-coalition-survey It should not come as a surprise that Canadian agriculture is facing a demographic crisis. In the 1930s, over thirty percent of the population was involved in food production. Today, farmers represent only 1.6 percent of the population and have an average age of 54. In 1991, the number of farmers in Canada under the age of 35 was 80,000 – now it is less than 25,000. The National New Farmer Coalition is a farmer-driven grassroots initiative created in 2014. Our aim is to promote government policies that will reverse these trends and allow new farmers to … Continue reading The National New Farmer Coalition needs you!

The CAPE: co-operating for local and ecological agriculture in Quebec

Posted by Virginie Lavallée-Picard on May 07, 2014

It was like summer camp for farmers, except it felt like winter and the food was better. The big barn-style building was jam-packed with about a hundred farmers, most of them in their early thirties or younger, absorbed in an in-depth workshop on greenhouse production of tomatoes and cucumbers. The previous day, an afternoon tour of a local farm had led to a massive potluck dinner and a late night brainstorming session on preferred vegetable varieties. This was my first CAPÉ annual fall meeting, and I can assure you it will not be the last. In French, CAPÉ stands for … Continue reading The CAPE: co-operating for local and ecological agriculture in Quebec

The NFU and The Nouveau Youth of Canadian Agriculture

Posted by Alex on January 08, 2013 1 Comment

A few years ago my partner and I started a small market garden, Wind Whipped Farm, on Southern Vancouver Island. Like many new farmers, we didn’t come from farming backgrounds, didn’t have much money and had only a few years experience working on a farm. Critically, we had support from other farmers in our community who shared their time, knowledge, equipment, and manure.  They helped us get started and encouraged us to keep going.  Our experience made us realize how crucial it is to be part of a community of farmers: to learn from each other, to help each other … Continue reading The NFU and The Nouveau Youth of Canadian Agriculture