Part 1: The Shift No One Asked For
So quickly, farming has become an uncertain industry.
For decades, agriculture was afforded a level of protection and privilege by government policy, recognition, perhaps, of its vital role in feeding the nation and stewarding the land. But that recognition is fading. Well-earned support systems have been stripped away, and many farmers now find themselves trying to compete with experienced commercial operators, but with far fewer resources and rising costs on all sides.
In a passing conversation, a friend said something that stuck with me:
“Farmers are Anglo-Saxon by nature. They have and live for their business, their farm is their empire and their castle. They are risk averse, avoiding change to the extent that they may miss the risks of not changing.”
And who can blame them? Until recently, there was little reason to change. The system worked, or at least, it was survivable. But we are now in a new era. One where our own government seems content to sacrifice self-sufficiency, relying instead on imported food, often with questionable quality and environmental standards, while quietly enabling more and more land to be switched out to alternative energy uses and housing.
It’s hard not to feel like farming is being backed into a corner.
But here’s the truth: the industry must change. Whether that means diversifying income, investing in regenerative practices, collaborating with neighbours, or simply rethinking what “success” looks like, standing still is no longer an option.
This isn’t about abandoning tradition. It’s about building on it. Farmers have always been resourceful, practical, and determined. Now is the time to channel those strengths into reimagining the future of the farm, the family business, and the rural economy.
It’s uncomfortable, yes. It’s uncertain. But it’s also a moment of opportunity to innovate, to lead, and to carve out a new kind of resilience.
And no one should have to do it alone. Working with other farming families, sharing ideas, pooling resources, and finding common ground is not just helpful, it might be essential.
So, the question now isn’t “should we change?”
It’s “how quickly can we afford not to?”
