FarmStart

New Farm Incubator Program

FarmStart is accepting new applications for the New Farms Incubator Program on an on-going basis. While inquiries are welcome year-round, the deadline to apply for the 2010 program is January 5, 2010.

The New Farms Incubator Program is aimed at anyone who is ready to start a viable, locally oriented, ecological farm or farm related enterprise. This could include: those from non-farm backgrounds who have developed relevant knowledge and practical agriculture experience; those from conventional farms who wish to farm ecologically and do not have access to land and /or capital; new to Canada immigrants with agricultural experience; and those with innovative and ecological farm related enterprise ideas (i.e. relating to farm inputs and /or processing, etc.).

New Farms Incubator Program Structure

Applicants to the New Farms Incubator Program are asked to submit a proposal that describes their enterprise and preparedness to start their farm. They will be evaluated and accepted based on their proposed product and business idea as well as their background, experience and goals. Successful candidates will be invited to participate, at the New Farms Incubator Program Facility, as a ‘Start-Up Farm’ beginning as early as March 1st.

Phase 1: Start-Up Farm

Start Up Farms will be ‘incubated’ for a period of 3 years, during which time they will receive reduced rates on land, equipment, greenhouse space, irrigation and storage. Leased land, infrastructure and equipment, supplied by FarmStart, will be available to Start-Up Farm participants at a rate discounted to 20% below market value. This phase will also include production and methodology support and mechanical assistance.

The program will encourage informal mentorships, cooperation with other on-site farms and local farmers, and will help link New Farms with various relevant support programs and resources (i.e. education courses and mentorship opportunities offered by the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO)).

FarmStart will also facilitate access to training and advice necessary for Star-Up Farms to develop their business plans, accounting systems, marketing and distribution strategies, and food and safety procedures.

Phase 2: Enterprise Farms

After 3 years Start-Up Farms will have the option to continue farming on-site for 2 more years as Enterprise Farms. During this period they will pay the full costs for their operation (i.e. for land, infrastructure, equipment, etc.) as a means to refine their business plan to reflect real market operating conditions. All other support, such as business planning and production assistance, will continue to be available.

Phase 3: Mentor Farms

After 5 years at the New Farms Incubator Program Facility, most Enterprise Farms will be expected to graduate to their own farms. There will be, however, the possibility, depending on the enterprise and available land, for some graduated farms to become Mentor Farms. They will be allowed to continue on-site while also mentoring Start-Up Farms and taking on a larger role in assisting to facilitate a cooperative farm structure.

The New Farms Incubator Program Facility will eventually host a mix of Start-Up Farms, Enterprise Farms and Mentor Farms. FarmStart will work toward creating a cooperative farm environment that encourages both shared knowledge and resources. By fostering a diversity of farmers, with collaborative approaches to business, the goal is to create a growing number of interdependent and mutually beneficial viable enterprises.

Eligibility

The FarmStart Land Committee has identified a series of key objectives, targets, and limitations that will direct the selection process.

1) FarmStart will endeavor to maximize the overall number of participant farms

2) FarmStart will select participants who show promise to contribute positively to the future of farming and help foster a strong new generation of farmers.

3) FarmStart will strategically target the following individuals:

• –> New farmers, with acquired knowledge and experience, proposing to start a new agricultural enterprise
• –> Transitional farmers proposing to start a new type of agricultural enterprise
• –> New to Canada farmers proposing to start a new agricultural enterprise in Canada

FarmStart will evaluate Start-Up Farm applications based on standards that reflect the organization’s mandate, goals, and resource limitations. FarmStart will strategically target individuals and enterprises which:

• –> Show the greatest potential for maintaining long-term operations
• –> Show the greatest potential for economic viability
• –> Aim to conduct innovative operations
• –> Show greatest potential for positive community impact
• –> Show greatest potential for ecological sustainability
• –> Aim to serve local markets and contribute to local food sovereignty
• –> Show the least potential for negative impacts on existing local agricultural producers
• –> Are receptive to operating in a cooperative structure

Considerations and Limitations

FarmStart must operate within certain resource limits. Participant selections will be influenced by stated applicant resource needs. It is advised that applicants make their respective resource needs and respective solutions clear so that FarmStart can properly assess how many and what types of participants can be supported.

The following needs / requirements, featured in respective applications, will be considered in relation to available FarmStart resources:

• –> Land area requirements
• –> Infrastructure requirements
• –> Equipment requirements
• –> Water needs
• –> Electricity needs
• –> Input needs

To Apply

The application process is carried out in three steps:

• –> Submission of a pre-proposal,
• –> Fine tuning of the proposal and business plan to arrive at,
• –> A final draft proposal and approval by the Land Committee and FarmStart board of Directors.

To begin this process please download our Application Package and Pre-proposal Form:

Application Package PDF

Pre-proposal Form WORD

The completion of the pre-proposal should involve some market research for your proposed products and some serious thought about the inputs required, costs of production and pricing. The form also delves into the amount of labor required through the growing season, whether you will need help with any of the tasks involved and whether other obligations (job, family or other commitments) may affect your enterprise.

Though the development of a proposal may seem a daunting task if you’ve never written a proposal, it is a step wise job of answering a number of questions;

What do you plan to grow?
Who will perform each task involved in the process?
How much will the various inputs cost?
How much can you sell your product for?
And Who/What is your target market?

If you have any questions about the process or to submit your pre-proposal, please contact our Program Manager, Sri Sethuratnam.