One of the major barriers for new and beginning farmers is accessing land. Land is expensive, and not always easy to come by.

In addition, over 50% of the farming population in BC is approaching retirement age, and less than 6% of farmers are under the age of 35. As a province, we are facing the question of what will happen to farmland without a new generation of farmers to farm it.

In 2012, we awarded a grant to the Young Agrarians to partner with FarmFolk CityFolk to create the Land Access Guide 2.0, for youth who wish to pursue farming. This online resource provides information, advice, web links and tools for young farmers who are facing barriers to accessing land and resources for farming.

Building on this, the Young Agrarians have been working to develop interactive workshops to encourage dialogue between aspiring farmers and current landowners to address the issues and legalities surrounding access to land.

The Land Linking Workshops & Potluck Socials will run from January to March in the Okanagan, Kootenays, Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.  The workshops will focus on:

• Networking
• Farm Business and Organizational Models
• Land Access Agreements
• Succession Planning

Okanagan
Saturday, January 24, 2015 | Register
Land Linking Workshop 1pm – 6pm (Potluck and Social 6 – 8pm)
Library Building Room L305 – 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC

Kootenays
Thursday, February 12th, 2015 | Register
Land Linking Workshop 1pm – 6pm (Potluck and Social 6 – 8pm)
Vallican Whole Community Centre, 3762 Little Slocan River Road, Winlaw, BC

Kootenays
Saturday, February 14th, 2015 | Register
Land Linking Workshop 1pm – 6pm (Potluck and Social 6 – 8pm)
Lake Windemere Lions Hall, 651 Highway 93/95, Invermere, BC

Lower Mainland
Sunday, February 22, 2015 | Register
Land Linking Workshop 1pm – 6pm (Potluck and Social 6 – 8pm)
Murrayville Hall, 21667 48 Avenue, Langley, BC

Vancouver Island
Sunday, March 15th, 2015
Land Linking Workshop 1pm – 6pm (Potluck and Social 6 – 8pm)
Merville Hall, 1245 Fenwick Road, Merville, BC

The Real Estate Foundation is a grantmaker that helps advance sustainable land use in BC. Sustainable Food Systems is one of our three priority granting areas. Our particular interest in this area is land use initiatives that improve food security and the health of local and regional food systems.

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Read More:

Land Access Guide

CEO Blog: Land Access Guide for Young Agrarians