Protecting farmland for today and tomorrow
Land is fundamental to agriculture. Who owns it and how it is tended are absolutely critical. The National Farmers Union works to ensure farmers can access land and are equipped with the tools and resources to care for it.
Farmland is an invaluable gift from past generations that comes with the responsibility to steward it for generations yet to come. The NFU calls on all levels of government to make this vision a reality. Farmers and rural communities across Canada need support to achieve food sovereignty and address the multiple threats to farmland access and soil health.
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Farmland ownership and consolidation
Land ownership across Canada is being concentrated into fewer and fewer hands. The NFU has documented the severity of this trend and champions measures to reverse it. See more →
Farmland access and tenure
Farmers are facing a generational crisis in terms of access to land. Many forms of land tenure exist in addition to private ownership that can address this crisis. See more →
Farmland loss and protection
Farmers continue to lose valuable land to industrial development and urban sprawl. The NFU advocates on their behalf to protect farmland through institutions like Ontario’s Greenbelt and BC’s Agricultural Land Reserve. See more →
Provincial farmland legislation
There is currently a patchwork of valuable provincial policies on farmland ownership and development across Canada. The NFU builds awareness of key measures already implemented and pushes provinces to further support farmer access to land. See more →
The fight for farmland on PEI
There is a long history of farmers organizing for land rights and protections on Prince Edward Island, with the NFU leading the way. See more →
Indigenous access to farmland
All farmland in what is now called Canada is on Indigenous territories. The NFU supports relationships and conversations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples regarding access to land. See more →
Land Grabbing
Land grabbing is an issue not only in Canada but across the globe. The NFU is in solidarity with all farmers and peasants struggling for land. See more →
Campaign updates
Key resources
Guide: Ontario Land Access Guide
A helpful resource for young farmers looking to start conversations about how to access land to farm.