A quick scan of the 2011 Census of Agriculture paints a bleak picture. The average age of farmers in Canada is 55, with more than 48% over the age of 55. Only 8% of our farmers are younger than 35. The number of farmers dropped 10% from 2006 to 2011, as did the number of farms. The reasons are simple. In most of our provinces, land costs too much and farming makes too little. This is a national crisis that requires collaborative innovation between the public, private and community-driven sectors. The Smart Farm Project is an exploration of several such innovations.
