andrea and moss agric presentation

A CVFRT Research Project

Transition Town Presentation

March 26, 2014

Opportunities to Increase Farming

Production Capacity in the Comox Valley

Agenda:

•Introductions

•Initial Findings from Interviews

•Opportunities

•Recommendations

•Closing and Next Steps

Introduction • Andrea Lawseth, AEL Agroecological Consulting

• Moss Dance, Ripple Farm/Merville Organics & Rainbow Raven Web Design

Specific related project experience:

• Regional District of North Okanagan AAP

• Lillooet and Area B AAP, SLRD

• Regional District of Nanaimo AAP

• Denman Island Farm Plan, Islands Trust

• Colony Farm Plan, Metro Vancouver

• Agricultural Land Use Inventories (various)

• Certified Organic expertise (various avenues)

Research Project Methodology

Project Start‐Up

(Nov)

Interviews (Dec-Feb)

Focus Group Session

(Feb 13)

Analysis and Final Report (Mar - Apr)

Methodology • Interviewed in person:

• 14 Landowners

• 11 Potential farmers

• Online survey:

• 18 Landowners


• Total:

• 32 Landowners


Initial Results

LANDOWNERS

Would you consider sharing land with other farmers to increase food production on your farm?

Response Chart Percentage Count

Yes 66.7% 18

No 14.8% 4

Not sure 18.5% 5

Total Responses 27

What farm products do you produce?


Livestock/meat 50.0% 7

Dairy (cattle/sheep/goat) 7.1% 1

Poultry/eggs 57.1% 8

Greenhouse vegetable/fruit production

7.1% 1

Field vegetable production 42.9% 6

Berries 50.0% 7

Tree fruit/nuts 21.4% 3

Staple crops (grains, pulses, edible seeds)

14.3% 2

Value-added 7.1% 1

Specialty crops 42.9% 6

Mushroom production 7.1% 1

Seeds 14.3% 2

Other, please specify... 64.3% 9

Total Responses 14

Where do you sell your farm products?


Comox Valley Farmers' Market

45.5% 5

Pier Street Market 0.0% 0

Other farmers market: 9.1% 1

Restaurants 45.5% 5

Retail 27.3% 3

CSA 9.1% 1

Farm stand or farm gate sales

45.5% 5


Total Responses 11

• Chicken

• Eggs

• Honey

• Berries (Cranberries, strawberries, blueberries)

• Apples

• Pickling cucumbers

• Some vegetables (patty pan squash, beans, peas)

• Yes, for more of the same

• Yes, for other meat products (turkey, beef)

• Yes, eggs

• Organic milk

What is easiest to sell? Is there a demand you can’t meet?

Do you use organic methods?


Yes - certified 21.4% 3

Yes - but not certified

71.4% 10

No 7.1% 1

Other practices (i.e. biodynamic). Please specify:

14.3% 2

Total Responses 14

Do you have an off-farm job?

If yes, what is your primary motivation for maintaining a second job?


Yes 57.1% 8

No 42.9% 6

Total Responses 14


Financial necessity 88.9% 8

Personal satisfaction 22.2% 2


Total Responses 9

Would you like to produce more food on your farm?

What is your vision for the farm?

• Destination farm – agritourism

• Selling the farm to another farmer – would like to see it remain a farm

• Would like to bring on business partners to share the workload


Yes 78.6% 11

No 21.4% 3

Total Responses 14

What are the barriers to growing more food? Response Chart Percentage Count

Need equipment/machinery 20.0% 2

Not enough land 0.0% 0

Capital costs 40.0% 4

Challenges in accessing more labour (employees or volunteers)

0.0% 0

Access to customer base 0.0% 0

Inadequate storage options 0.0% 0

Lack of distribution channels

0.0% 0

Lack of access to processing equipment/facility

20.0% 2


Total Responses 10

What is your succession plan?


Passing it on to children 37.5% 3

Establishing a farm cooperative

25.0% 2

Selling it to another farmer

25.0% 2

Attempting to have the farm subdivided and/or rezoned

0.0% 0


Total Responses 8

What are the top three things preventing you from leasing or offering land to other farmers:


Don't know where to look for people

57.1% 8

Fencing 28.6% 4

Lack of available water 28.6% 4

Potential costs 0.0% 0

Lack of knowledge about lease agreements

14.3% 2

Privacy concerns 21.4% 3

Concerned about land use conflicts

21.4% 3


Total Responses 14

What are the challenges? • Shared goals and values of land – respect (7)

• Lack of adequate water/irrigation (3)

• No housing on site (3)

• Liability issues (3)

• Fencing needs to be repaired (2)

• Managing risk for both sides – who invests in infrastructure? (2)

• Privacy concerns (2)

• Dogs on site (1)

• Making access to property easily (1)

• Traffic concerns and nuisance complaints from neighbours (1)

• Safety concerns – equipment operation (1)

What are the benefits?

• Financial benefits – leasing income

• Shared workload

• Shared knowledge

• Allowing people to use the land – seeing the land being used

• Land is getting taken care of – resale value/aesthetics

• Someone sharing the dream and the experience

• Unintended consequences of trying something new

Initial Results

POTENTIAL FARMERS

What are the three main reasons you are interested in farming?

Other:

• Interested in producing food for the community • Self-sufficiency • Activism

• Passionate about food

• Want to be own boss


Food security 56.2% 9

Sustainability 62.5% 10

Health 25.0% 4

Lifestyle 68.8% 11


Total Responses 16

Do you have any of the following training or experience in agriculture?


Grew up on a farm 33.3% 5

College certificate 6.7% 1

University degree 13.3% 2

Some college or university courses

6.7% 1

Permaculture Design Course 13.3% 2

SOIL apprenticeship 20.0% 3

WWOOF volunteer (Willing Workers on Organic Farms)

33.3% 5

Informal on-farm learning/volunteering

26.7% 4

4H Programs 6.7% 1


Total Responses 15

Are you looking to farm in the Comox Valley over the long term?

Why the Valley?

• Live here already – it’s home

• Feel supported and welcomed here

• Quality of farmland is good

• Good off-farm activities

• Growing demand for local food here

• Distribution of land is good for small scale growers

• Good climate


Yes 78.6% 11

No 21.4% 3

Total Responses 14

Are you currently farming or planning to farm:


Solo 13.3% 2

With family members 13.3% 2

With a business partner 13.3% 2

With a life partner or spouse

46.7% 7


Total Responses 15

What type of farming are you doing/hoping to do? Response Chart Percentage Count

Livestock/meat 40.0% 6

Dairy (cattle/sheep/goat) 13.3% 2

Poultry/eggs 73.3% 11

Greenhouse vegetable/fruit production

80.0% 12

Field vegetable production 86.7% 13

Berries 60.0% 9

Tree fruit/nuts 60.0% 9

Staple crops (grains, pulses, edible seeds)

46.7% 7

Value-added 46.7% 7

Specialty crops 46.7% 7

Nursery 40.0% 6

Mushroom production 40.0% 6

Seeds 66.7% 10


Total Responses 15

How will you finance your farm as you get started?


Financing from a credit union of bank

28.6% 4

Government programs 21.4% 3

Farm Credit Canada 14.3% 2

Family 7.1% 1

Off-farm work 71.4% 10

Grants 28.6% 4

Crowd-sourcing funds and equipment

7.1% 1


Total Responses 14

If you are currently farming, do you have an off-farm job?

What is your primary motivation for maintaining a second job?


Yes 63.6% 7

No 36.4% 4

Total Responses 11


Financial necessity 75.0% 9

Personal satisfaction 41.7% 5


Total Responses 12

Are you leasing land? Response Chart Percentage Count

Yes 37.5% 3

No 62.5% 5

Total Responses 8

Are you currently looking for land to purchase?


Yes 50.0% 3

No 50.0% 3

Total Responses 6

Is it important to you to live on the land you are farming?


Yes 92.3% 12

No 0.0% 0

Somewhat 15.4% 2

Total Responses 13

What are the three biggest challenges you face as a new farmer?


Lack of capital 71.4% 10

Need more access to credit or financing

14.3% 2

Inability to lease land 35.7% 5

Lack of arable or appropriate farm land

7.1% 1

Cost of land (for purchase) 64.3% 9

Inability to access capital (loans or grants)

7.1% 1

Difficulty negotiating agreements (i.e. leases)

21.4% 3

Agriculture is not profitable enough to meet income needs

28.6% 4


Total Responses 14

Other challenges? • Marketing skills – gaining confidence to sell products (2)

• Work-Life balance – being organized (2)

• Business skills (1)

• Accessing affordable AND arable land (1)

• Land use conflicts with multiple owners (1)

• Finding good people to work with (1)

• Local zoning and agricultural production

• Possibilities for multiple ownership of the land

• Cooperative structures

• Multiple farm dwellings on one farm site

• ALR restrictions and regulations

What are the challenges to leasing? • Maintaining a respectful relationship (3)

• Transportation – when not living on site (2)

• Caring for tools and land to the degree that is required (2)

• Getting a concrete long-term agreement (1)

• Investment in infrastructure (1)

What are the benefits to leasing? • Financial reasons (4)

• Infrastructure is usually already in place (3)

• Soil has already been worked (2)

• Can access great land (2)

• Can be great to work with others and gain knowledge (1)

Opportunities Already Present • Tremendous agricultural potential in the Valley:

• Access to water

• Food prices increasing due to drought elsewhere

• Growing local market opportunity

• Desire to support one another and work cooperatively:

• Pooling resources to get better quality and prices on inputs

• Developing a buying club - purchasing inputs

• Creating opportunities for work bees - share the workload

• Developing a web-based tool share database

Recommendations •Education: • Landowners:

• WCB, liability, insurance 101 for landowners

• Farm succession planning

• New farmers:

• Business planning and financial management for small farms

• Marketing

• “Farming 101 series”: basic info on seed-starting, value-added processing, animal husbandry

• Choosing the best crops to grow on your land

• Collective marketing models (from informal arrangements to co-operatives)

• Both landowners and new farmers:

• Forming effective lease agreements

• Alternative land ownership models

Recommendations • Support for Farmer Collaboration:

• Offer Land-Linking events

• Form a Tool Lending Library (medium-small scale)

• Develop an Agricultural Asset Map (in process)

• Create, or centralize listing of resource directories available to farmers

• Create a resource library

• Create opportunities for farmers to gather and network informally

Recommendations • Increase New Farmer Participation in Existing Ag

Organizations:

• Farmers’ Institute:

• Introduce 2 young farmer representatives at the board of directors

• Explore expanding the FI tool library to include small scale machinery and hand tools

Potential Ag Sites in the City Boundaries

Next Steps: • Complete final report by

April 15th

• Distribute report

• Share report with policy makers

• Secure further funding

• Implementation of recommendations

Thank-you! Andrea Lawseth 250-205-0279 [email protected] Moss Dance 250-702-0980 [email protected]