Vancouver, British Columbia : A pilot project that matches new farmers looking to get their start in B.C. agriculture with available fertile farmland in the Metro Vancouver area will kick off in 2018, thanks to a $25,000 investment from the governments of Canada and British Columbia.
The project is led by the Young Agrarians, in partnership with Farm Folk City Folk Society. This Metro Vancouver project builds on the success of a two-year pilot in partnership with the City of Surrey, and in collaboration with Quebec’s L’ARTERRE. It addresses a major challenge for new farmers – gaining access to expensive land in southern B.C.
The Land Matching Project screens owners of underutilized land and farmers ready to start a business and supports the parties in the development of legal contracts. The goal is to create 7 to 9 new farm operations in the region in 2018 with secure leasing agreements.
The previous pilot in Surrey matched new farmer Roger Woo with David Feldhaus, a local land owner. Woo, a former chef with a passion for local, organically grown and sustainably farmed produce, was just the person that Feldhaus was searching for when looking to expand agricultural activity on his farmland.
Source : Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the BC Ministry of Agriculture