Late last month, Farms at Work announced a new project designed to help keep farmland eastern Ontario productive. The eighteen-month program called Agricultural Sustainability: New Demographics in the Greenbelt, targets non-farming owners of farmland and is funded by a grant from the Greenbelt Foundation.
The Greenbelt Foundation estimates that more than 450,000 acres of farmland has been lost from the Greater Golden Horseshoe area since 1991. Modern land-use planning regulations restrict the development of farmland but as older farming generations retire, more productive land is being acquired by people relocating from urban centres who have a limited understanding of farming.
The project will include the creation of a portal to promote existing stewardship tools and resources, offer on-line and in person workshops and community events. It will build on the organization’s goal of helping new farmers establish successful, productive and environmentally responsible farm businesses.
Emma Macdonald, Education Manager at Farms at Work explains that farmland is increasingly being purchased by people who are not farmers. Reports estimate that roughly 40% of Ontario farmers will retire by 2030, triggering a significant transfer of farmland ownership. She hopes that this project will help new owners of farmland appreciate the importance of keeping their land productive and supporting them in establishing mutually-beneficial relationships with farmer tenants.
Farms at Work has been supporting new farmers in Central East Ontario since 2010. The organization provides a wide variety of supports to help budding farmers build successful, productive farm operations that support healthy ecosystems and resilient food systems in the region. Among the tangible tools they offer are directories of agricultural goods and service providers, on-line matching databases to connect farm workers to work opportunities and farm operators with available land where they might find opportunities to expand their operations. They provide educational opportunities from skill-building workshops focused on specific topics related to farm production to a comprehensive Farm Business Planning Course that guides participants in the creation of a concrete farm business plan including financial statements which can be used to access financial loans and grants from lenders and agencies.
Agricultural land owners may benefit from a comprehensive Farm Stewardship Report on their property which will provide detailed information about the potential and vulnerabilities of their land. It delivers a practical road map designed by industry experts to establish long term plans guiding farm activities, and including soil analyses, local climate conditions, land management advice as well as information about funding and support programs in the area.
The challenge of this program will be to connect with new landowners who may not have considered keeping their property productive and helping them find ways to do so that are consistent with their own vision for their property. Farms at Work staff will be participating at local events including markets and fairs to reach these new owners and make their case that with the right operator, leasing their land can be a mutually beneficial arrangement and part of a long-term stewardship plan to sustain local food sources while protecting the environment.
“This project highlights the critical role non-farming landowners can play in protecting farmland and ensuring itslong-term productivity”, says Edward McDonnell, CEO of the Greenbelt Foundation. “All farmland in theGreenbelt is part of an interconnected system of working farms that sustain our local food systems and ruralcommunities. By supporting stewardship and strengthening connections between landowners and farmers, we’rehelping to secure a vibrant and resilient agricultural future for the entire Greenbelt.
For more information about this program, contact Farms at Work at 705-743-7671, or visit www.farmsatwork.ca. KG