Being a young farmer in Canada today is a challenge, but Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers 2021 winners Ray and Tracey Bredenhof, who operate a poultry and hop farm in the BC Fraser Valley, are rising to it –overcoming adversity along the way.

The Bredenhofs’ journey as third-generation farmers began in 2005 when, as newlyweds, they established R & T Poultry on 10 acres at Yarrow, BC. Ten years later, they established Bredenhof Hop Farm in 2015.

While raising four sons, the couple has continued to diversify and innovate in many ways. Ray opened a heavy-duty mechanic shop for farm equipment repair, and Tracey learned bookkeeping for their own farm and others.

On their poultry farm, the Bredenhofs developed antibiotic-free protocols beginning in 2008, aiding other producers when their use became restricted. They also played a key role in the re-emergence of hop farming in Canada. They built an experimental farm to test hop plants for various genetic characteristics, and Ray established the BC Hop Growers Association in 2016. Their crop is now sold to craft breweries and Molson Canada.

The Bredenhofs were recently celebrated as national winners in Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers program, an annual competition that recognizes farmers aged between 18 and 39 who exemplify excellence and promote agriculture in ways that foster urban-rural relations.

The family has much to be proud of, including significant community volunteer contributions. They have also overcome considerable adversity. In 2018, their son Jacob was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer. He underwent rigorous treatment in Vancouver, where his left leg was amputated.

They went on to raise considerable funds for cancer research, putting together a team in the Terry Fox Run, and establishing a bike ride fundraiser called “Pedal of Hope.” “It was an incredibly heartbreaking time, but our family and church community stepped up to help,” Ray recalls.

The elements have also been a challenge. The Bredenhofs lost a barn to fire in 2020, and their farm was barely spared in the Fraser Valley flooding in November 2021. Nevertheless, they farmed on, while instilling the same strong values in their sons.

“We are incredibly proud of our sons, and we know that having their upbringing rooted in farming contributes to their hard-working character,” says Tracey.

The family intends to move forward with continued steady growth in their poultry and hop operations, facing whatever life has in store while taking pride in their work. “We are extremely proud to produce excellent quality chicken for our fellow Canadians,” says Ray. “Canada is better because agriculture is an important part of its economy.”