HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-05-30, Page 9The Huron Expositor • May 30, 2007 Page 9
News
New stats show declining number of young farmers
Local farm leaders unsurprised since industry still fighting for government help
Aaron Jacklin work.
"The actual buy -in cost is prohibi-
Eighty-five of the 785 farm opera- tive," he says, noting that for people
tors in Huron East were under the in their 20s, there are any number
age of 35 in 2006, according to new of other things they could be doing
numbers from Statistics Canada. with the large amounts of money
That's 10.8 per cent. required to start and own a farm.
Four hundred twenty are between Anecdotally, he knows of some
35 and 54 years old (53.5 per cent) farmers who are encouraging their
and 280 are over 55 years old (35.7 kids not to become farmers.
per cent). Hill says that while he doesn't
Huron East isn't alone. Central think that's very common, there are
Huron has 12.2 per cent under 35, people out there doing that. He says
49.1. per cent between 35 agriculture isn't a very attractive
and 54 and 35.5 per lifestyle and that the
cent over 55. Bluewater financial rewards
has 8.6 per cent under aren't spectacular.
35, 54.3 per cent Huron East Mayor
between 35 and 54 and Joe Seili says that
37.1 per cent over 55. when farmers look at
These numbers are their lives, they proba-
similar to those for bly ask themselves if
Huron County, Ontario that's the kind of life
and Canada as a they want for their
whole. children and grand -
The numbers are also children.
not shocking to anyone "That's a question
in the industry, accord- only they can answer,"
ing to Stephen he says.
Thompson, president of Nichol says he's seen
something of the other
side too, the young peo-
ple going into the field.
He's talking about the Bridges to
Agriculture secondary school co-
operative education program from
several years ago that tried to steer
more students into agriculture.
He said there were well over 100
students in the program and they
tracked the participants after they
left. They could be split into four
roughly equal groups.
One quarter decided agriculture
wasn't for them, another quarter
went on to study at the University
of Guelph's agriculture program,
another quarter went into agri-busi-
ness and the remaining quarter
went home and took over the family
farm.
The program ended when they ran
out of funding.
Thompson says that if the number
of farm operators under 35 contin-
IMIZIEMIND
the Huron County
Federation of�
Agriculture.
"They're not surprising at all," he
says.
He says that when you look across
the industry - especially the grain
sector - you'll see that Canadian
farmers are at a distinct disadvan-
tage to their heavily government
subsidized American counterparts
who can freely trade across the bor-
der.
He points out that when both
Canadian and American farmers
pay the same prices for herbicides,
machinery and all other input costs,
but American farmers can get up to
$100 an acre in subsidies, it's no
surprise that more young people
aren't entering the industry.
"Why would people invest in a
future where they're at such a dis-
advantage?" he asks.
Bev Hill describes himself as an
old farmer.
"Very simply put," he says, "the
financial returns from agriculture
are at a level that constitute a
deterrant."
He runs a grain elevator on his
farm and when they look at the
youngest people on their customer
list, they see the same people who
were the youngest on the list 20
years ago.
Paul Nichol says that from his
perspective as the economic devel-
opment manager with the Huron
Business Centre in Seaforth, eco-
nomic and societal factors are at
`Very simply
put, the
financial
returns from
agriculture are
at a Ievel that
constitute a
deterrant,'--
Huron County
fanner Bev Hill
Congratulations
Vista Villa Farms
on your
40th Anniversary!
From your friends at
Hill and Hill Farms Ltd.
River Ridge Farms Ltd.)
ues to drop, eventually we're going ernment have been bending over
to see the farm population composed backwards to bring automobile
entirely of the baby boom manufacturing invest -
generation who have ments into Ontario.
retired from other "They've got to stop
careers to come home preening each other,
and take over their sit down and get to
parents' farms. work," Seili says.
"A farmer will be Thompson isn't opti-
someone with grey mistic, saying that
hair, if they have any they've made "every
at all," he says. reasonable representa-
"It's a lack of govern- tion" of the problem
ment will power to that they can and it
maintain competitive- hasn't made a differ-
ness and an open bor- ence.
der," Thompson says. He says it's some-
Seili, who also works thing of a self-fulfilling
in the industry, s
the municipality is
cerned, and that
provincial and federal
should be too.
"It's hard to chew on
or Ford," he says.
Seili says that
Quoted
'A farmer will
be someone
with grey hair,
if they have
any at all,' --
Huron County
Federation of
Agriculture
president Stephen
Thompson j prophecy, since as the
farm population ages,
farmers tend to vote with
a mind toward age related issues
instead of agricultural issues.
Bev Hill says, "An industry that
can't attract new blood is ultimately
doomed."
ays
con -
both
the
governments
both
your
levels
Chevy
of gov-
World No Tobacco Day
May 31, 2007
Ontario Celebrates the 1y' Anniversary
of the Smoke -Free Ontario Act
Smoke -Free Ontario
• Prevents youth from starting to smoke.
• Reduces exposure to second-hand smoke.
• Helps people quit smoking.
Huron County
Health Unit
Smoke -Free because of you