It was a Netflix documentary that Michael Nantais watched during the early months of the pandemic that cemented his love for sustainable agriculture.
The 26-year-old who grew up in Pointe-Claire, a suburban city of Montreal, began experimenting in his mother's garden, growing kale, cucumbers and zucchini for the first time there. is over four years old.
“I didn’t know much at the time,” he said. I bought seedlings and planted them.”
Then came the time for changes in his life and his career plans.
Michael Nantais switched from an economics degree in college to a biology program to learn about plants. He focused on learning all things agriculture, first in a plant soil lab and then on a vertical farm in Montreal. Vertical farming stacks crops vertically in layers, usually in an indoor setup, which allows farmers to control lighting, humidity and temperature. It is gaining popularity, especially in urban areas.
“Did I decide to do vertical farming when I turned to biology? The answer is no,” he recalled. “I was open-minded (…) I just wanted to learn.”
Young Canadians may not have the farmland or heavy machinery needed to launch a traditional agricultural career, but they are equipped with the technology. It changes how they get their foot in the door, even if they don't come from farming families.
Traditionally, many agriculture students came from rural areas and planned to take over a farm one day, said Jay Steeves, dean of the Werklund School of Agriculture & Technology at Olds College in Alberta.
Today, more and more students from urban areas are joining schools' agricultural programs, and graduates are finding niches in this field.
“It's not just about farming on vast areas with large farms,” said Mr. Steeves.
“We're starting to see indoor agriculture, the idea of producing and creating food for a growing population.”
– Jay Steeves, doyen de la Werklund School of Agriculture & Technology du Olds College (Alberta)
Mr Steeves recalled a school project a year ago, when a student grew lettuce in his dorm room and could remotely control different environments, humidity and light intensity.
“The idea of a student or an individual in a tiny dorm room with a grow operation the size of a mini-fridge is part of agriculture today,” said Mr. Steeves, “and now produces food that can be used and consumed by anyone on the planet.”
A small-scale start
Innovation is key for budding farmers, said Craig Klemmer, senior economist at Farm Credit Canada. Starting small might be the first step.
“As the Canadian population evolves, this creates new market opportunities,” he said. For example, there is a growing demand for mutton and goat meat, which can be started on a small scale and scaled up to a larger scale.
SEE ALSO | Should we remove plastic mulch from our fields?
Others are moving into more specialized areas of the industry, such as growing herbs or working in sustainable agriculture, which require less capital investment and resources to start operations.
“When we look at the opportunities, we realize that they are more in smaller niches,” said Mr. Klemmer. Finding a new and creative solution, building partnerships would be a good way to start.”
Michael Nantais moved to Toronto last year to start his own vertical farm business with an investment from his uncle, but ran into a logistical problem: finding suitable rental space to operate.
Instead, he decided to partner with an existing vertical farm, Living Earth Farm, which grows sunflowers, peas, radishes, basil, cilantro and arugula, among other microgreens.
He operates the farm as a partner and plans to stay there for a while. “We hope to be able to expand, increase our offerings and start selling more.”
Significant costs
The exploration of agricultural niches comes at a time when the costs of land and agricultural machinery have increased exponentially over the years.
According to Farm Credit Canada's Historical Farmland Value Report, the price of farmland in southern Ontario increased from an average of $2,616 per hectare in 1996 to approximately $23,100 per hectare in 2023. Other provinces have seen similar price increases.
“The reality is that if we look at traditional agricultural production in Canada on a large scale, the barriers to entry are very high,” Klemmer said. It would take a lot of capital to make these investments.”
This means that not everyone is able to own a facility or operate a farm, regardless of its size.
Steeves said many young agricultural college graduates are moving into fields such as plant science and working with larger growers to help them become more efficient.
“A farmer is not the classic image of a person standing in the field, getting their hands dirty working with animals,” he said.
Field work, including drone assessments, pest management and soil testing, are jobs that are increasingly finding their place among modern agricultural workers who want to be part of the food system, but can't own their own farms.
“It’s not so much about operating and owning as it is about doing more consulting for production,” said the dean of the Werklund School of Agriculture & Technology.
Resilience can be very useful for a young farmer. Like any other job, future farmers need soft skills, such as networking and the ability to travel to find a job, he says.
Despite growing interest in agriculture and a growing culture of growing one's own food, there is still a labor shortage in the agricultural sector.
As large numbers of Canadian farmers head toward retirement, fewer and fewer young people are volunteering to take on these roles. About 61% of Canadian farm operators were 55 and older, according to a 2021 Statistics Canada report. Meanwhile, the number of farmers under 35 fell to 8.6% in 2021, from 11.5 % in 2001.
“I think we still need more people,” Mr. Steeves argued.
According to him, there is a place for everyone to be a part of agriculture — if not at the farmer or producer level — and still feel connected to the industry.
“We're always trying to get rid of the myth that you have to come from this background to get involved,” Mr Steeves said.
