About the NFU New Farm Project

Premier's Award

The NFU New Farm Project is an award-winning farmer education, training, and support program aimed at strengthening the Kingston region’s farm community and local food system. While emphasizing the benefits of production for local markets, the project will also focus on ecologically-sound farming methods and will support participating farmers in making farm management decisions that will lead to long-term sustainability of their farms.

Farmer Training and Support

The NFU New Farm Project offers training and support to new and established farmers through its annual Workshop Series, focus group sessions, and financial support for off-season learning and farm conferences. These focus on building the capacity of farmers to plan and manage their farm operations to benefit from the growing demand for local food from local markets.

Livestock, seed, and equipment will also be available to those who participate in the project programs and workshops as interns, mentors, new farmers, or established farmers seeking new local opportunities.

The CRAFT Kingston Internship Program

One of the greatest tangible accomplishments of the project to date has been the establishment of CRAFT Kingston, a new branch of the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT Ontario). CRAFT Ontario is a network of sixteen organic farms in southwestern Ontario, each offering full-season farming internships and training many farmers of tomorrow.

CRAFT Kingston has already set up the first 10 CRAFT farms and 18 interns for 2009, well on their way towards the initial goal of fourteen farms by project end. By fall 2012, at least forty-four interns will have passed through the program and many will be exploring a future in farming.

Project Sponsors

The National Farmers Union Local 316 initiated, and continues to drive the success of the New Farm Project. The project represents one of their latest efforts towards building a sustainable local food system in Kingston and its countryside.

The NFU New Farm Project is a four-year project with major funding by Heifer International, a non-profit organization whose goal is to help end world hunger and poverty through self-reliance & sustainability. The project will run from September 2008 until June 2012.