Future farmers need our support

Where Canada and the US will get their next generation of farmers is a pressing question.

Think about this: the average age of farmers here is 56. In the US, it’s about the same.

Farmers aren’t forced to keep farming. But clearly, they want to, having built up their businesses through the generations. Of course, there’s also a strong emotional factor: their businesses are also their homes.

Inevitably, though, younger farmers will be needed. Most new farmers have traditionally come up through the family ranks. And that’s likely to be the case for the foreseeable future. About 97 per cent of Canadian and US farms are family-owned.

It’s true that farms are getting bigger, and that mid- sized farms are under the gun. But don’t believe the malarkey about “corporate” farms taking over the landscape. Farm families sometimes form corporations for business (i.e., tax) purposes, not because they’re being taken over by disinterested, money-grubbing third parties.

However, for some would-be farmers, the joy that comes with taking over the family farm is being put to the test. And one reason is trade. For example, growing tensions between Canada and the US in the beef cattle trade, along with the many other challenges, such as bird flu, that come with being a livestock producer, are red flags to some young and prospective producers.

Entering a vibrant market is appealing. Producer organizations and programs, like the Ontario Corn Fed Beef program (look for the label if you buy meat at a grocery store), work hard to connect with consumers with messages like “locally raised” and “consistent quality.” That creates an upbeat culture in which young producers can get started.

It’s not the same everywhere. A significant portion of top-grade Canadian cattle get exported to big markets in the US. The quality is superb, the difference in the dollar makes them a bargain, and most lately, the cattle supply in the US has dwindled because of drought. Major processors there need Canadian cattle to help meet market demand. That’s reignited long-simmering protests by some US ranchers who think cattle from abroad, especially from Canada and Mexico, are cutting into their sales and markets. They want labels on this meat that identifies its country of origin; they think US consumers will shun it in favour of homegrown product.

Labelling sounds simple, but it’s not. At processing, cattle are mixed together, and ultimately, so is processed meat. Separating them into US- and non-US cattle would make already-expensive beef even costlier for consumers.

Many major US cattle producers, like the powerful Montana Stockgrowers Association, oppose avoidable price increases. And they don’t like the way industry infighting looks to budding livestock producers who already thinking farming is hard enough, without adding internal strife.