The Canadian agriculture industry is in transition and Canadian farmers, particularly those with small family farms, are feeling the pinch. 

The most recent census data released by Statistics Canada provides a snapshot of current agriculture trends across the country. At a time when food security and availability have never been more important, we are seeing our agriculture industry shrink. 

Between 2016 and 2021, the national average of total farmland declined by 3.2%. But what is particularly concerning for us on the East Coast is that total farm area declined by over 20% in Nova Scotia during that same time frame. The statistics also showed that there was almost a direct correlation between farmland decline and farmers leaving the industry. 

The loss of almost 20% of the operators in our region should be a concern for government. The stats are showing that as people leave the industry, there are few younger operators replacing them. 

Indications are that these trends may continue, as Nova Scotia has the oldest average age of farm operators in Canada. More than two-thirds of farm operators are aged 55 years or older, and only 8.1% of them reported a succession plan. If steps are not taken now to make agriculture a more financially viable option for younger farmers, we will continue to see these declines. Most farms in the province are smaller operations — many family-run — and it is becoming more difficult to make them profitable. 

Running a farm and turning a profit is not just a case of putting in the hard work. So many things are out of an operator’s control. Climate change is affecting growing seasons. For some farmers, warmer weather and longer growing seasons may present the option of new types of crops not possible in decades past. But we are also seeing drought, soil erosion and more frequent extreme weather events, like the devastating Hurricane Fiona. 

The federal government has also made ambitious carbon reduction targets that include the agriculture industry aggressively reducing their carbon footprint. There are opportunities for operators to invest in innovations that will increase efficiency and lower costs over the long term — however, for smaller operations, these upfront investments can be prohibitive. 

Farmers are also struggling to find labour. A study by the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council says that “by 2029, there will not be enough domestic workers [in Nova Scotia] to fill more than one in every three jobs that will be required for the provincial agriculture sector to reach its production potential.” 

Even the Russian invasion of Ukraine is having a serious impact on the world’s agriculture industry. Russia controls an estimated 25% of the world’s fertilizer supply and, as nations put sanctions on Russia, the flow of fertilizer has become severely impeded, driving up cost and increasing demand on a decreasing supply. 

There is also a general increase in world competition, inflation and fuel costs, contrasted with low prices producers receive for their products. At a time when grocery chains are reporting record profits, why are our food producers not sharing in that wealth? 

These are just a few of the factors that make it difficult to entice new operators into the agriculture industry. Governments can’t afford to wait. Each province and territory has an important role to play but we also need leadership at the federal level.  

Ensuring the future of our food production and supply is not only a food security issue, it is also a national security issue. If we work together, we can secure Canada’s agriculture industry for future generations. 

Senator Jane Cordy represents Nova Scotia.  

A version of this article was published in The Hill Times on March 20, 2023.