Cutting Through the Red Tape
It had never crossed Olivia’s mind to launch a farming business. She told us how she had to learn everything all at once when she got started:
“We were surprised by the bureaucracy affecting farm startups. We had to go through every government branch and stakeholder—and we didn’t have the entrepreneurial spirit it takes to enjoy the endless process that comes before actually growing vegetables,” Olivia explained.
Driving Strong Growth As a small farm producing a variety of vegetables, Ferme Ravito decided early on to exclusively sell its harvest at a self-serve stand near the highway.
“Do you think it’s harder to launch a business when you’re further away from major urban centres?” I asked Olivia.
“It’s probably easier to reach a larger customer base near the city. However, our stand is located along Route 132, which brings us an ever-growing number of wonderful loyal customers,” Olivia answered.
Conversely, I asked her if getting started in a rural environment can provide other specific benefits.
“There are incredible partnership opportunities with local businesses. We collaborate with a dozen restaurant owners who come to us for products on a seasonal basis,” she answered.
Facing Common Agricultural Hurdles
Looking back on her overall experience in farming, Olivia added that in her opinion, the hurdles faced when launching her project were not necessarily due to her geographical location. These challenges are in fact shared by the entire agricultural community, whether rural or urban.
“To ensure Quebec agriculture remains resilient in the long term, we need more support, as well as a paradigm shift in shared cultural values,” Olivia Bernier concludes.