Young Agrarians: Growing the local Canadian food economy

Young Agrarians (YA, established in 2011) is a not-for-profit grassroots initiative that inspires and connects the next generation of food growers across BC with the aim to go national in 2014. Formed as a partnership with FarmFolk CityFolk (FFCF, established in 1993), young agrarians are people who value ecology, community, and growing food. Its constituents include farmers, food activists, community organizers, food lovers, balcony and community gardeners, artists, musicians and more. BC-focused for 2012-13, YA started in response to a growing need for a diverse, decentralized, ecologically sound and sovereign food movement focused on youth in Canada.

Vancity Community Foundation has supported YA with a grant of $10,000 in 2011 to start up the network. Vancity believes promoting local agriculture in BC and Canada will bring people closer to the land and environment, help create jobs, strengthen local economies, and reduce the nation’s need for fossil-fuel-dependent food industries.