Farmers starting agricultural ventures in British Columbia are receiving vital support to build and expand their businesses through the New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program. The initiative helps new and young farmers plan, grow, and strengthen their operations to provide fresh and local food to families across B.C.
Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald highlighted that investments through this program assist early-stage farmers in developing long-term strategies and identifying new growth opportunities. Similarly, B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Food Lana Popham emphasized that supporting the next generation of farmers is crucial for maintaining regional food security and economic growth.
Eligible applicants can now apply until November 24, 2025, to develop or update farm business plans and create growth strategies. In spring 2026, farmers will also be able to apply for funding to implement these strategies, including infrastructure improvements and equipment investments.
Previous participants have already reported impressive results. Mikayla MacLeod of Charnwood Flowers used funding to install a cold-frame greenhouse, extending her growing season and boosting year-round flower sales.
“We were able to use the funding from this program to build a cold-frame greenhouse, which has been instrumental in expanding our business and growing season. We are very grateful that this program is available to new farmers to help with the costs of adding necessary infrastructure,” said Mikayla MacLeod, co-owner, Charnwood Flowers.
Louise Lecouffe and Jed Wiebe of Elderberry Grove Farm used support to build a new processing and storage facility, enabling more efficient operations and increased product offerings.
At Cowichan Station Creamery, owners Henry Rekers and Renee Davy upgraded to new hay feeders that cut waste and improved labour productivity.
“We are very grateful for how the program helped streamline our operation. Not only did we exceed our goal of reduction of feed waste, the addition of our new feeders allowed us to switch to 100% machine handling of our feed. This is huge labour savings,” said Henry Rekers, owner, Cowichan Station Creamery.
The program is supported under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, $3.5-billion federal-provincial investment aimed at strengthening innovation, competitiveness, and sustainability in Canada’s agriculture sector.