REGINA – Young people need a “fighting start” if they plan to farm, says a Regina area farmer.
Lee Moats, who farms 880 acres with his wife Laurie near Riceton, in south-central Sask-atchewan, said many third generation farm children have been unable to take over from their parents because of debt. The problem, he said, is “the overwhelming failure of intergenerational transfer.
“The older generation has had to rely on their equity for retirement,” Moats said.
“What our plan would be is to have ourselves in a position where that wasn’t a requirement.”
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Both he and Laurie work off the farm; she part time and he full time as an agrologist for Ducks Unlimited. They have three children, ages seven, six and two.
The Moats practise zero tillage farming techniques and grow winter wheat, barley, flax, canola, peas, lentils and oats on their own land and that of Lee’s parents.
They have grown winter wheat since 1985, largely to combat wheat midge.
“We’ll try anything to give us more advantage,” Lee said.
Expanding into cattle “isn’t in the cards” because they just don’t have the time, Lee said.
However, they would like to expand their land base and farm full time.
“If economic conditions improve, maybe small farmers like us can survive,” he said.
