Young Agrarians is celebrating the eleventh year of the Business Mentorship Network (BMN) program in BC and the third year of the program in the Prairies! The BMN offers farm business mentorship to a diverse array of new and young farmers. The mentorship is offered over the course of a year. Through one-on-one mentorship, peer networks and online workshops new farmers develop the skills necessary to operate ecologically sustainable and financially viable farm businesses.
Mentee applications for the BC 2025 cohort are now closed.
Mentee applications for the AB/SK/MB 2025 cohort will be accepted until the program is full. Mentees Apply here!
Mentor applications (paid position) are accepted year-round. Mentors Apply here!
Check out the Business Mentorship Network page for more information!
Check out one Mentee’s story below and how the BMN made a contribution to the success of their farm. Want more? Head over to our BMN Blog for more mentorship stories.
Meet a Mentee: Julian and Gabby at Amisk Farm
My name is Julian Napoleon and my partner Gabby and I run Amisk Farm up in the South Peace. We are an Indigenous-led farm located right on my reserve, Saulteau First Nation. I was lucky to have my pal Andrew Adams as a mentor for the the YA Business Mentorship Network program. This season saw us farming in a Harnois greenhouse that we constructed back in 2023. Andrew provided meaningful guidance that helped us grow tons of food in there! Andrews years of northern farming experience were also invaluable in assisting us to build out our most ambitious crop plan ever for our zone 3b farm!!
2024 was a transitional season for us as we moved from a more conventional market farm model to an Indigenous training centre. We partnered with Tea Creek Farm to serve as a sister site in the roll-out of the Indigenous-led Foodlands Apprenticeship Skills Training (I-FEAST) program. We successfully hosted 8 amazing trainees who gained hands-on experience in diverse vegetable crop farming, animal husbandry, carpentry, plumbing, chainsaw operation, mechanics, cooking, digital media, and heavy equipment operation. We were also supported by the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Association to host community food giveaways and got over 10,000 lbs of veggies into homes on my reserve.
We are looking forward to continue with expanding the training program next season and hope to host at least 10 more trainees, we are also looking to hire a program manager and some experienced farm hands. We launched a new website www.amiskfarm.ca where you find up to date information as things progress.
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