Young Agrarians welcomes focus on new entrants and local markets in Halifax Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Halifax, Nova Scotia, July 21, 2026 – Young Agrarians welcomes the recognition of new entrants, succession planning and local market development in The Halifax Statement released by Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture. The Halifax Statement outlines the governments’ key policy priorities for the next Agricultural Policy Framework (APF), the main funding framework for agricultural programs and services that will run from 2028-2032. You can read more about the APF negotiation process and YA’s advocacy here.

The statement commits governments to strengthening the agriculture sector’s ability to attract, develop and retain talent, while supporting new entrants and succession planning. It also recognizes the need to build on local, domestic and international market development efforts to expand opportunities and strengthen Canada’s food systems.

“These commitments are an important recognition of the challenges facing the next generation of farmers,” said Alex Pulwicki, Executive Director of Young Agrarians. “Canada needs a coordinated New Entrant Strategy that helps new farmers access land, start-up capital, practical training, mentorship and farm transition support, while ensuring agriculture programs are designed to work for farmers in their first 10 years of operation.”

Young Agrarians also welcomes the Halifax Statement’s recognition of local and domestic markets. New farmers often produce for local, regional and direct markets, but their success depends on access to appropriate processing, storage, distribution, aggregation and market infrastructure. Programs and regulations must also reflect the realities of diversified, ecological and small and medium-sized farms. 

Young Agrarians looks forward to continuing to work with federal, provincial and territorial governments as the Next Agricultural Policy Framework is developed. 

Canada’s agriculture sector needs new farmers, and new farmers need viable local and regional markets.

About Young Agrarians

Young Agrarians is Canada’s largest educational farmer-to-farmer resource network focused on growing new and young farmers. Since 2012, Young Agrarians has offered programs that support new and young farmers with limited access to resources as they make the journey into ecological agriculture in Canada. Young Agrarians programs support access to land, provide business mentorship, on-farm apprenticeships, community building events, and online resources. 

For more information, please visit: youngagrarians.org

Media Contact

Alex Pulwicki, Executive Director

403-975-9033 | alex@youngagrarians.org