Farm succession - la relève - is one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture in Quebec today. With thousands of farmers approaching retirement age and farmland prices rising, the question of who will take over the next generation of farms has become one of the defining issues for agriculture.

Without successful succession, farms risk being consolidated, sold, or lost altogether. Supporting la relève isn’t just about preserving family farms - it’s about food sovereignty, rural vitality, and the future of agriculture in Quebec.

In this episode, we explore what it really takes to pass a farm on: financially, emotionally, and culturally. From family dynamics to policy supports, we dig into the realities behind keeping farms alive across generations.

• Hugh Maynard speaks with Claudia Meganck, director of ARAMO and member of the Fédération de la relève agricole du Québec (Montérégie ouest), about the next generation of farmers and the future of agriculture in Quebec.
• Sarah Rennie talks with Nick Oakley, a business development lead with Farm Management Canada about navigating farm transitions and the importance of starting the planning process before it’s too late.
• Sarah also interviews Noel Erskine, a fifth generation dairy farmer who successfully took over his family’s farm in Hinchinbrooke.
• Mackenzie Peddie, a junior reporter with the Gleaner, recently took part in the Quebec 4-H Innovative Ag Tour in Sawyerville. She caught up with some 4-H kids during the event to chat about their future plans in farming. 
• Callan Forrester, The Gleaner’s news reporter, interviews Christina Franc, the new CEO of 4-H Canada, about succession planning and how 4-H teaches young farmers the necessary skills to be ready when the time comes to take over. 

Thank you for listening to this episode of the Farm to Food podcast.

We’d like to thank our sponsors for helping bring this initiative to life: Desjardins, the Livestock Breeders’ Association and Quinn Farm in Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot for their promotional support.

We also wish to thank the Community Media Strategic Support Fund and the Government of Canada for their financial support for this project, as well as the Bourses d’initiatives en entrepreneuriat collectif for their contribution toward equipping the podcast studio.

This program is made possible thanks to the dedicated work of the volunteer directors on the board of Châteauguay Valley Community Information Services (CVCIS), a non-profit social enterprise with charitable status. We would love your support to help keep this podcast going.

Donations can be made at farmtofood.ca, and we can issue tax receipts for donations over $25.

Farm to Food Podcast Credits:

Hugh Maynard – Host

Jackie Rourke – Producer

Sarah Rennie – News Editor

Callan Forrester – Reporter

Stacey Pennington – Audio Production

Dianna Chycki, sales & marketing

…and of course, Farmer Phil — who’s farm-tastic!