Are new farmers important?

19211931

19411951

19561961

19661971

19761981

19861991

19962001

20062011

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

Total Acres Farmed in Ontario: 1921-2011

Change - approx. 10 million acres since 1921 - 20% change from 1971 to present

1921 1931 1941 1951 1956 1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 20110

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

Number of Ontario Farms - 1921-2011

Source: Statistics Canada: Census of Agriculture

75% of farm families gone…

2006 2011 2021* 2031* 25 year Change

Under 35

7070 6130 6130 6130

35-54 40280 31830 22045 17153 -57%

Over 55 35065 36885 34358 28201 -20%

Total 82315 74845 62533 51484 -37%

Projected Farmers in Ontario

* 2021 and 2031 are derived, based on assumptions that farmers begin to farm at age 25, retire at age 75, and are evenly distributed within age groups

Source: Statistics Canada – 2006 and 2011

How many more eaters?

50%19%

Who are new farmers?they come from farming and non-farming

backgrounds; they are young and they are mid-life career

changers/early retirees they are increasingly culturally and ethnically

diverse in urban areasthey bring a wide range of goals, experiences

and enterprise preferences to their farming decision

New Farmer Training Survey 2009/10

Demographics of 432 respondents

• half grew up in urban environment• 27% grew up on a farm, only 8% now

farming with family• 31% second career• >70% with post-secondary qualification• evenly spread across ages 20 to over 55

What are their Challenges?

TrainingStable access to landCapital …….depending on who they are