New Film Project - March Forth Creative

“There’s some really big questions and problems that we’re facing today – land acquisition, access to capital are huge barriers to farming – but maybe the most important one is that we don’t have enough young farmers.”

– Stuart Oke, Youth President of the National Farmers Union, Canada

Working Title: Farming:The Next Generation

Written and Produced by: Tamer Soliman & Sarah Douglas

Edited by: Rob Tyler

Ask anyone these days and chances are they’ll say they support local food – they’re aware of the importance of shopping at the farmers market, enjoy farm-to-table dining, and appreciate the seasonality of what they eat. But how often do these values translate into actions? And how many people understand the challenges of maintaining a truly sustainable, equitable, and secure food system?

Most of all, how many of us ever acknowledge the people behind the system, our farmers?

With an average age of 55, Canadian farmers are getting older. At the same time, more importance has been placed on local food systems. The next generation of farmers will shoulder the burden of Canada’s future food security—and are inheriting a system that has much room for improvement. In fact, with the imminent retirement of the old guard, many without a succession plan, we are at a pivotal crossroads in Canadian agriculture. What and how this new generation choose to farm now and in the coming years will have huge implications on the future of food, climate, and community in Canada.

Our film project aims to shed light on these important issues. Initial interviews show this younger generation of farmers to be knowledgeable, energetic, and passionate. Many of them see their work as a form of activism, and have a strong desire to transform our system into one that can not only grow healthy food but also mitigate the effects of climate change and tackle many of the social and economic crises that we are facing today.

Some initial themes that we’ve uncovered include:

Challenges that young farmers want to remedy through their approach to farming
Diversity in farming and food accessibility
Importance of local food, seasonality, and knowing your farmer

We hope that by sharing the aspirations, the struggles, and the visions of these young farmers, that we will amplify the many pressing issues of our food system, and that viewers will be inspired to do their part to support the future of healthy, sustainable food in Canada.

Be a part of the making of this important film. Find out how by emailing us at info@marchforthcreative.com

“There’s some really big questions and problems that we’re facing today – land acquisition, access to capital are huge barriers to farming – but maybe the most important one is that we don’t have enough young farmers.”

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