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Corkery, Meryn

A farm succession crisis looms due to the ageing farm population, barriers facing emergent farmers, and a lack of succession plans to smoothly transition farms once their operators retire. Additionally, the agricultural sector exhibits a diversity of farm types, practices, markets, and crops, and is simultaneously facing increasing economic, social, and environmental issues. Agricultural planning is a means to address disputes involving agricultural development, farmland protection, and decision-making. Planning may also reconcile the competing interests for access and land base use. It is unclear what avenues exist for emerging farmers to contribute to this political process. To explain the practices employed in the Township of Langley that influence farmer participation levels, this study addressed the following: How are new and young farmers engaging in the agricultural planning process? What factors influence farmer participation? A case study methodology was employed, utilizing interviews with seven farms, a farm practices survey, and a document review. Analysis determined that farmers are contributing to agricultural planning through consultations and informal ways (board members on local nonprofits and farmers groups) that represent lower levels of involvement. Additionally, significant barriers prevented young and new farmer participation, including time constraints, lack of knowledge of how to become involved, and increased effort to find out about engagement processes. Furthermore, new and young farmers are contributing to their local food networks and employing practices aligned with food sovereignty movements. A characterization of policy problems in the Township indicated that more participation is required then currently employed. In order to increase participation, policy makers and planners in the Township must first increase communication flows in order to build trust with farmers.

Text

University of British Columbia. APBI 499

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0391022

Land and Food Systems, Faculty of

Undergraduate

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