Thousands of Family Farms at Risk Due to Outdated Inheritance Rules
Friday, January 30, 2026
Reference: Impact Farming
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Thousands of Family Farms at Risk Due to Outdated Inheritance Rules
Canada is facing a quiet but urgent agricultural crisis. Nearly 3,000 family farms disappear every year — not because families want to leave farming, but because outdated inheritance rules are forcing impossible financial decisions.
In this episode, Tracy sits down with Derryn Shrosbree, founder of 33seven and a national expert in farm succession and estate equalization, to unpack how current tax laws prevent many farmers from passing their land to nieces and nephews without triggering massive tax burdens.
With the average Canadian farmer now 56 years old and fewer than 1 in 12 farms having a successor under 40, the future of family agriculture is at risk. This conversation explores what’s happening behind the scenes, the real human cost to families, and what policy reform could mean for the next generation of Canadian farming.
This isn’t just a farm issue — it’s about food security, rural communities, and protecting a cornerstone of Canada’s economy.
Episode Highlights
- Why nearly 3,000 Canadian family farms disappear every year
- How outdated inheritance rules trigger crippling tax bills
- The unfair gap affecting nieces and nephews working family farms
- The aging farming population and succession crisis
- The risk of farmland consolidation and foreign ownership
- Economic impacts on rural communities and Canadian food security
- Real stories from the front lines of farm succession planning
- Practical steps families can take right now
- What reform to the Income Tax Act could change
- A vision for the future of intergenerational farming in Canada
If this episode resonates with you, share it with a farming family, policymaker, or community leader. Awareness drives change and protecting family farms protects Canada’s agricultural future.
Thanks for tuning in,
Tracy
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🔗Show Resources:
Connect with Derryn Shrosbree and 33seven for expert guidance on farm succession and estate planning
🌐 https://www.33seven.ca
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About the Guest:
Derryn Shrosbree
Founder of 33seven .png)
For the past 16 years, Derryn has focused on building financial freedom for farmers in Canada. His mission is to protect the Canadian farmer from risk and tax.
He worked in Tokyo and on Wall Street for five years each, structuring and trading credit derivatives, before shifting his expertise to farm continuity planning.
Born in South Africa, Derryn completed an undergraduate degree in mathematics, an honours degree in Australia and earned a Master of Science in mathematics from the London School of Economics.
He lives with his family on a market garden farm 1 hour north of Guelph. The farm markets vegetables directly to restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area.
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* Disclaimer - As always, this information is not intended to provide business or medical advice. To ensure that your own circumstances have been properly considered and that action is taken based on the latest information available, you should obtain professional advice from qualified business or medical professionals before acting on any of the information in this post.
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The Impact Farming Show
Welcome to Impact Farming, Farm Marketer's video and audio show dedicated to helping Canadian farmers excel in the business of farming. Our goal with this show is to introduce our audience to the people and ideas that are going to make an IMPACT on their farming operation.
Show Host - Tracy Brunet
CEO of Farm Marketer
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Tracy and her husband are cattle ranchers in South East, Manitoba. As host of the show, primary producer and agvocate, Tracy is passionate about helping farmers succeed in the business of farming.
In each episode, Tracy chats with today's most successful farm advisors and industry leaders to bring our audience the best and most important ideas.
Connect with Tracy Brunet - Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Linked in
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