Wilfred Romanowski took over the operation of his family’s Sturgeon County farm in 1961. Though his family once raised cattle and chickens, today the Romanowski farm 20 minutes north of Edmonton strictly produces field crops.
Alberta Grains will officially launch its Young Farmers Peer Network pilot project in mid-September. The project was inspired by a farm transition research project undertaken by Selena Grutterink, a communications and stakeholder engagement specialist with the organization.
Canadian agriculture faces one of the biggest farm transitions in history. Nearly 40 per cent of farmers are expected to retire over the next decade. In Alberta, it’s closer to 62 per cent. The province’s farms are predominantly family owned and operated. Unfortunately, the number of young people taking up the family business is declining. Beyond succession planning, there is a need to identify and evaluate barriers to the family farm transition process.
It is increasingly common for people who grew up on the farm to pursue education and off-farm careers before settling back on their family farms.
