Grainswest - Fall 2025

Fall 2025 Grains West 34 Today’s new, young farmers face increasing challenges that include the need to juggle off-farm jobs to support their operations financially, manage farm succession with unprecedented property values and cope with rising levels of loneliness and social isolation. Despite these factors, farming remains one of the most rewarding careers and lifestyles. Elaine Froese, farm family transition expert located in Boissevain, MB, offered two key pieces of advice to the newest generation of farmers. First, don’t go back to the farm right away. Echoing Shout, she suggests once a young farmer does return, they should formulate a vision and business plan. A firm believer in lifelong learning, Froese recommends youth start their farming career with an off-farm education and build their own work experience before they purchase or return to the farm. She recommends learning business- focused skills that include financial literacy, marketing, communications and most importantly, conflict resolution. “The business plan of an incoming farmer today should look different from the current management of the farm. That’s also why the ability to openly communicate, seek solutions and safely express emotions with the older generation needs to be a key aspect of starting out on the farm, too.” Froese warns young farmers about the challenges that come with the job, especially workaholic tendencies. “The farm can easily become an all- consuming monster of your time and finances, affect relationships and more,” she said. Her advice is to be intentional with schedules and carve out time for work and rest. This is especially important for young families and farmers who juggle off-farm jobs. Without establishing balance, farmers put their physical and mental health at risk. The most dangerous phrase in agriculture, said Shout, is, “We’ve always done it this way.” Young farmers must learn to navigate interpersonal relationships and bring a business mindset to decision-making. He recommends they rely on data and information to help with discussions about change on the farm, and to remember that young farmers don’t need to replace the outgoing generation, they need to identify the strengths each generation brings to the farm and work together. “Farming looks different for this new generation,” said Froese. “Farmers are facing greater risks, managing more zeros on their balance sheet and greater tension when it comes to family dynamics.” COMING HOME TO GROW Farming is in Alex Coulton’s blood, but he needed time away from the farm to realize it. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to return to the farm,” admitted the 25-year-old. He began his post- secondary education in pursuit of a mechanical engineering degree but pivoted to complete a crop technology diploma at Lakeland College. “Once I spent some time away, I realized what I was missing: the lifestyle, flexibility and the day-to-day challenges of farming.” Since 2023, Coulton has farmed full- time alongside his dad as the fourth generation of Coulton Farms. The 2,500- acre farm south of Consort grows canola, lentils and wheat. His first year back on the farm was marked with the greatest drought in recent history. “Everything is looking up since I was able to make it through that first hard year,” he said. The family, including Coulton’s non-farming siblings, has developed a succession plan to secure his future on the farm. “The transition process is going well,” he said. “Conversations have started, we all understand what’s needed to keep the farm going and we’re building relationships.” When Alex Coulton left the farm to pursue an engineering degree, he wasn’t sure he’d return. He soon realized farming was in his blood and pivoted to a crop technology diploma at Lakeland College. Photo courtesy of Alex Coulton. FEATURE