Behind our harvests are passionate producers

You can’t exactly ask them how they would like their barn set up, but you can give them the space they need. Alexandre decided to convert their barn into a free stall barn to let them move around more easily. He also installed milking robots that are available for the cows at all times so they can choose their milking session when they wish.

Alexandre compares his role to that of a sports coach. He knows that his team will perform well if their physical and mental states are optimal. That’s why he pampers his cows: from the humidity in the air to the room temperature, right down to the texture of the resting areas—nothing is left to chance.

The hockey coach analogy can be used here as well. Despite the best intentions in the world and a state-of-the-art training program at the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire, Alexandre still needs a team around him. It includes veterinarians, feed technicians, crop consultants and more. Alexandre may call the shots, but teamwork underpins Ferme Vinbert’s success.

Although elsewhere this is not exactly the case any longer, most Quebec farms are still family-owned. So the pride and attention given to every harvest are of vital importance. By 2025, one in four producers will be over the age of 65, so it is important to encourage young people to take an interest in working on the land.

The new generation of farmers brings new ideas, as well as a new understanding of the environment and the economy. Often, the new generation of producers has privileged access to the experience and expertise of their predecessors. Add that to cutting-edge training as well as energy and a drive for sustainable operations, and you get a winning formula for tomorrow’s agriculture.

27,000 hectares of agricultural land passed through the hands of 15 investment companies in Quebec between 2010 and 2015. That’s why it’s important to support the next generation in their desire to take over local agriculture.

Over the years, farming has experienced many upheavals. From one generation to the next, practices, needs, and markets have been repeatedly and radically disrupted. Each time, those who relied on help and cooperation to realign their thinking, finances, and techniques were able to adapt. The networks they created gave rise to innovative solutions, strong buying power, and a willingness to act for the survival of the group.

It’s a matter of culture. Local farmers, for the most part, own their land. For generations, farms have traditionally remained in the family. Catherine and Rémi are prime examples of this: they want to preserve the tradition and pass on a vigorous land with well-kept facilities and, most of all, a healthy environment to a tenth generation.

One century ago, farmers were in survival mode. The times were challenging for these producers, who kept their little farms running alone with nothing but the sweat from their brow. It’s then that a group of them decided to join forces and found small cooperatives, allowing them to boost their purchasing power and facilitate the distribution of their goods. Then, in 1922, the Coopérative des fromagers de Québec, the Comptoir coopératif de Montréal, and the Société des producteurs de semences de Sainte-Rosalie merged to form the Coopérative fédérée de Québec. Little did they know, they created in that moment what would become Canada’s largest nationwide agri-food group, and it’s all thanks to their realization that we are stronger together.