A very interesting report from the ABC.
In Australia not only is legislation being designed to keep the young and smaller landowners out of the market in hemp ( and we presume it’ll be even worse with cannabis as and when it comes along) with overpriced and impossible licensing, rules and regs. Also land is now unaffordable to be able to run a standalone operation…
The ABC writes
As land prices soar on the North Coast of New South Wales, aspiring young farmers Hanna Navara and Leon Hoffmann-Detenhoff turned to sharefarming as an alternative to owning their own land.
Key points:
- Soaring land prices can be prohibitive for young people looking to get into agriculture
- Sharing land with an established farmer is a way young people can make a start in the industry
- Those involved in sharefarming say a contract is important but so is communication
Ms Navara, 28, has spent the past three years studying alternative farming methods such as permaculture and regenerative farming.
She was originally looking to run a market garden but turned her attention towards hemp — particularly seeds and oil.
After acquiring the appropriate licences, the couple began searching for land.
But given prices on the North Coast have increased by 2.5 per cent between July 2019 and July 2020 (compared with a rise of 1 per cent in the previous quarter), Ms Navara sought out sharefarming.
Sharefarming as alternative
Ms Navara advertised for a sharefarming opportunity on social media and met Mike and Cheryl Smith, established organic farmers at Solum Farm.
The couple own a 10-hectare certified organic lime farm in Mororo, NSW and have been farming all their lives.
Mr Smith says the sharefarming agreement involves sharing costs and profit equally and relies on effective communication to ensure it remains viable.
“You have to have a very a long conversation with anyone you’re going to jump into bed with,” he said.
Read the full article at
