Farmers are Joining Supply-Managed Sectors

Friday, November 21, 2025

New Entrants have found fellow farmers welcoming & helpful

By Emily McKinlay

Starting a new farm can be difficult in any industry, but those hoping to access supply-managed sectors face an additional hurdle.

Fortunately, for farmers looking to produce milk, eggs, chicken, or turkey, multiple provinces and sectors have implemented their own versions of new entrant assistance programs that aim to mitigate the barriers to the industry’s next generation.

Better Farming spoke with two farmers who have successfully navigated the ‘new entrant’ programs of their respective industries about the steps they took to start their own operations. Braden Sparks, dairy farmer Braden Sparks and his wife Cealey started Sparksview Genetics in Woodstock in July.

Braden grew up on a generational dairy farm, but in 2021, after his uncle and father’s operation split up, he moved off the farm.

“I always wanted to get back in, but didn’t know how,” says Sparks.

“I was at a 4-H meeting where a Dairy Farmers of Ontario field services representative came out to talk about the New Entrant Quota Assistance Program, and that sparked the idea to try to get into it. From there, we started making a plan and setting goals. We applied for a few years. The first year we weren’t chosen, but on our second year applying – last year – we were selected in the draw.”

To apply to the New Entrant Quota Assistance Program with Dairy Farmers of Ontario, the first step is to discuss financing with a lender. Next, applicants must create a 10-year business plan with the assistance of an accountant. This outlines the expectations for farm operations.

The Sparks submitted their application in October 2024 and found out that they were selected in the draw in the first week of January 2025.

“When we put our application in, we treated it as if we had already been selected. We started preparing ourselves and had cows lined up that were being milked at other farms,” says Sparks.

“We found good deals for future equipment additions and started saving as much money as we could for it. By the time we were selected, I had a list of online ads ready to go so we could start lining up equipment.”

He adds that the application process prepared them for this transition.

“That was the nice thing about already having a 10-year business plan. We had a good idea of costs and the direction we wanted to go, and we knew our budgets. Basically, as soon as we got the phone call, we started renovating the barn and picked away at projects until we started milking in July,” says Sparks, who notes that they wanted to start milking as soon as possible for cash flow.

The business plan also helped prepare Sparks for taking on a new aspect of farm management.

“Running the farm is pretty second nature, because I had been doing it for so long before,” says Sparks.

“Running the business side has been more challenging. I have not done a lot of tax work or bookkeeping. Figuring out how to manage that was our biggest learning curve.”

Sparks found that joining the dairy industry through the new entrant program has been an opportunity to set up the farm in a way that best meets their goals.

“I think the most exciting part for us is that it’s an opportunity we never thought we’d get again. Getting back into cows has been pretty surreal.

“We got to design our farm and handpick everything that goes into it. We would not have had that opportunity on the family farm, as it already had set protocols and milking styles. It is cool to take your own ideas and apply them to your own dairy.”

He encourages anyone who wants to get into farming, supply-managed or not, to get involved in the industry and build relationships.

“My best advice for people looking to get into the New Entrant program or any industry is to try to network and make lots of connections,” says Sparks.

“You can never have enough good connections in the industry. A big part of getting started is having people who can support you when you don’t exactly know what you’re doing.”

Don Gaultier, egg farmer

Don Gaultier has been an egg farmer in Notre Dame de Lourdes, Man. for nearly 12 years and now sits as vice-chair on the Manitoba Egg Farmers board.

Gaultier grew up on a farm with some pigs and cattle and had some experience helping his uncle on a grain farm. It wasn’t until he graduated from a diploma program at the University of Manitoba and started working in the feed industry that he had his first experience with the layer industry.

“I had no experience with poultry growing up – horses, pigs, and cattle were what I was familiar with,” says Gaultier.

“After working with layers in my feed industry job, I fell in love. After I left the feed industry, I was a commercial and agricultural loans officer in the financial world. Starting in 2009, we began applying to the New Entrant program and eventually were lucky enough to be selected.”

Gaultier was selected in the February 2013 draw, and by January 2014, the farm was up and running. He says that, outside of an application fee, the application process had very few criteria. If selected in the draw, there are conditions that need to be met for the new entrant to accept the quota allotment. Some of these conditions include owning the production facility, having suitable housing for the birds, and the ability to finance the start-up of the operation.

“It was a whirlwind. We knew we were fortunate enough to be building a new barn when we applied. A lot of producers didn’t have that luxury,” says Gaultier.

“We visited a lot of barns to see what we liked. We spent many weekends doing that after we were selected. We ended up with a plan and started breaking ground in September.”

Gaultier credits the board of Manitoba Egg Farmers for their support and guidance throughout the start-up process.

“As the selected farmers of the New Entrant program, we had meetings with a few board members and they gave us some information on suppliers in the province, like manufacturers of equipment and hatcheries,” says Gaultier.

“In my instance, I had already been in contact with suppliers. Grading stations were another contact that we connected new entrants with. Between the board, suppliers, and contact with other producers, I had a wealth of information.”

This support system was critical to starting production in a quick turnaround time, with so much to learn between the time they were chosen and when the birds entered the barn. While Gaultier felt quickly accepted by the industry, there were still some challenges to starting his new farm.

“It’s overwhelming at first for sure, especially when you are looking at the dollar amounts needed to build. As soon as the dust settles after being selected, you are faced with the reality of having to build this barn, and the cost associated with it can be daunting.

“Certainly, there is also a lot of work to get everything done in a timely fashion. You don’t have years to plan. You find out you’re selected, and then you have a lot of work ahead of you right from the get-go.”

He adds that new farmers shouldn’t feel like they have to tackle these challenges alone.

“There’s a lot of support there, and you can reach out to the board if you have any issues. Everybody wants you to succeed.

“I owe a great deal of gratitude to the layer industry. It was unbelievable how everyone had their doors open and were willing to give advice. Everybody was so welcoming. My love for the industry grew even more once I was in it.”

The welcome that Gaultier received as a new entrant motivated him to become more involved in the industry, seeking a role on the board.

The New Entrant program has played a significant role in sustaining Manitoba’s egg industry.

“We have 156 egg producers in the province, and 30 of those are new entrants,” notes Gaultier.

“As of November, we will have two more, making 32 new entrant producers in the province. The industry is fairly tight-knit, and everybody is looking out for each other’s success.”

For farmers interested in applying as a new entrant in the future, Gaultier’s advice is to be prepared to work hard.

“You’re going to have to put in a lot of work for the first few years, and you won’t necessarily have a big return wage-wise,” warns Gaultier.

“It takes a lot of dedication, especially if somebody is not used to livestock or is from a grain farming background. Now you are on-call 24/7. That can be a bit daunting.”

Despite this, Gaultier doesn’t have any regrets about becoming a new entrant.

“We’ve been in the egg industry now for just shy of 12 years, and there’s not a day that we’ve regretted doing this,” says Gaultier.

“Even though some days don’t go ideally, it’s been a dream come true. We’ve embraced all of this wholeheartedly.” BF