Young farmers advocating for social change
On the first weekend after the mid-November floods across British Columbia, their ripple effects reached a Vancouver area farmers market. Empty stalls served as a reminder of the farmers affected by the extreme weather event and shoppers seemed anxious about potential food shortages. Yet there was also a tremendous outpouring of support.
“Customers turned out in huge numbers to express their concern and support,” says Laura Fash, who farms vegetables at Salt & Harrow Organics in the Tsawwassen area, located about 80 kilometres from Abbotsford, the scene of the flooded fields and livestock rescues that shocked the nation.
“Some farmers couldn’t make it into the city because of highway closures; others had lost everything due to damages – and their absence was deeply felt by vendors and customers alike,” she says. “Our farm was soggy but relatively unscathed by the floods, and we consider ourselves fortunate to be able to get our produce to local families who are affected by supply chain worries and climate anxiety.”
Against the backdrop of this sobering reality, Ms. Fash felt inspired by the show of solidarity. “It reminded me of why I love farming,” she says. “It comes down to the recognition that food is essential and that land is the bedrock of strong communities. And this means farmers can be among the most formidable forces for social change.”
An internship with the National Farmers Union (NFU), offered through the Career Launcher program of Colleges and Institutes Canada, where she worked as a climate action co-ordinator for the British Columbia-Yukon region over the 2020-21 winter, sparked Ms. Fash’s ongoing engagement as an advocate for systemic changes in farming.
“We need to start putting food before profit, and create a policy environment that’s not eroding the security and livelihood of farmers, because this would also erode our food security, which is a scary prospect at a time when supply chains are so vulnerable. ”
“Farming is affected by – and affects – so many different things, and working with the NFU helped me to begin understanding these interconnections,” she says, adding that urgent action is needed since Canada has lost nearly a third of its farmers in a single generation.
“If we want to stop the alarming loss of farmers in Canada, we have to address the root causes of the insecurity farmers are facing,” Ms. Fash explains. “A recent NFU youth report surveyed new farmers across Canada to identify their primary challenges. I found it striking that the top five obstacles are all related to economics. They include lack of affordable land, lack of access to capital and low profitability.”
Farmers face soaring land prices, prohibitive farm debt as well as climate change pressures, she says. “The people who produce our food need to have a stable and resilient economic base so they can make good decisions for the future of their farms, our food system and our environment.”
Concrete measures can include ensuring that young farmers have access to land without incurring massive debt as well as stronger protections of farmland from development and speculative investment, suggests Ms. Fash. “We need to start putting food before profit, and create a policy environment that’s not eroding the security and livelihood of farmers, because this would also erode our food security, which is a scary prospect at a time when supply chains are so vulnerable.”
Despite these formidable challenges, Ms. Fash considers farming a rewarding career. “It is one of the most direct ways we can show up for our communities and really make a difference in the world,” she says, adding with a smile: “And there's nothing better than coming home caked in dirt every day.”
Canadians can donate to support migrant workers displaced by floods through the Migrant Rights Network (actionnetwork.ca) or help with flooding relief efforts via Canada Helps (canadahelps.org).
To view this report on The Globe's website, visit globeandmail.com
To view the full report as it appeared in The Globe's print edition: The Next Generation of Farming