How much farm work is done by family members and how much is done by employees? What work is done by domestic and or foreign workers? Is there a growing reliance on hiring employees to support farm operations? More needs to be known about who does the work on farms in Canada.
The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is launching a Labour Market Information (LMI) research survey to examine Canada’s agricultural workforce from every commodity and region across the country. The Conference Board of Canada will conduct the survey on behalf of the council, and needs participation from more than 1,000 producers, farm workers and stakeholders from Nov. 12 to Jan. 22.
All producers across Canada are encouraged to complete the survey at www.cahrc-ccrha.ca to ensure their farm’s needs are included in this important work that will help the government meet future farm labour requirements.
“It is imperative that we get an accurate picture of the agricultural employment needs in Canada and the best way to do that is to go directly to the producers themselves,” says Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, executive director of the council. “Understanding their evolving needs is the first step in resolving the labour challenges facing primary agriculture. Once we clarify agriculture’s labour requirements for the short, medium and long term, relevant initiatives can be implemented with confidence by industry stakeholders to ensure the future viability and growth of Canadian farms.”
In a report to be released by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, labour issues are identified as the number one priority facing the agriculture industry today. At issue is the lack of clear labour market information that quantifies the chronic shortages facing agricultural businesses and accurately forecasts those requirements for the next 10 years by province, commodity and occupation. By understanding these workforce needs, the agricultural industry will be better able to develop policies and programs to meet demands.
For more information visit www.cahrc-ccrha.ca.
