The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC), together with partners the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and Food and Beverage Canada (FBC-ABC) have announced the launch of the National Workforce Strategic Plan for Agriculture and Food and Beverage Manufacturing. 

The Strategic Plan is the launching point for what will be a comprehensive roadmap to workforce stability for the agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing sectors. 

“Workforce issues in primary agriculture and food manufacturing are critical and need to be addressed urgently,” said Jennifer Wright, acting executive director at CAHRC. “While good work is being undertaken by many groups, industry also recognizes the gravity of the challenge, the need for new and different ways of doing things and most importantly the need for collaborative action.”

Funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre, this industry-led initiative complements the work identified in the Prime Minister’s Mandate Letters to Ministers Marie-Claude Bibeau and Carla Qualtrough tasking them with developing an Agricultural Labour Strategy for farming and food processing. Developed around five key pillars, the Strategic Plan is comprehensive, actionable and broad, as well as capable of adapting to changing times and realities. It includes short, medium and long-term solutions to address both immediate labour shortages and systemic workforce challenges.

According to FBC-ABC, food and beverage manufacturers are short an average of 25 per cent of their workforce, according to recent Public Safety Canada data. Labour has repeatedly been identified as a key issue preventing the sector from realizing its growth potential. 

“Food and beverage manufacturing is one of Canada’s most important sectors, and Canada’s largest manufacturing employer, contributing to Canada’s provincial, regional and national economies, supporting our international trade goals, and underpinning local food production and food supply,” said Kathleen Sullivan, CEO at FBC-ABC. 

Similarly, employers in primary agriculture suffered earning losses of $2.9B in total sales in 2020, directly attributable to unfilled vacancies tied to the pandemic. This is nearly double the $1.5B in lost sales recorded in 2014. 

Source:  Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council April 8, 2022 news release