DECEMBER 2023 27 covering that their children didn’t want to remain on the farm, which meant that the business was sold— sometimes to another local area farmer, other times to a real estate speculator. But while the present era is seeing more Canadian youth willing to stay on the farm, it’s still not enough to stem the shortfall of ag labour. The obvious solution would be to convince youth from outside the rural community that it can be a well-paid and fulfilling occupation. It’s tough, but it can be done. Despite only knowing where the gas goes into his car, this article writer’s son is learning how to be a truck technician. People will cross over into agriculture if they can be properly trained and know that they can step into a well-paying career. The CAHRC report said that part of that is to change the way people outside of rural communities think about the ag sector. It’s not uneducated plaid-wearing hicks mucking out a pig sty. Although it’s not true, that perception persists. CAHRC said Canada needs to improve the overall perception of agriculture and that good careers within it are possible and will help build a sustainable future workforce. “Doing so can cultivate an understanding of agriculture’s role in securing both local and global food supplies and dispel the misconception that the only work in the sector is as a farmer.” It’s true. Career opportunities abound as ag retailers, seed technicians, scientists, drone and mechanical equipment manufacturers, and technicians, or opportunities as an agronomist, or swine researcher, to name a few occupations. We need to do a better job of “supporting and expanding hands-on learning experiences and exposure to career opportunities within agriculture”, which the report said will be key to inspiring Canadians to consider a career within the ag community. Although the report doesn’t present ways in which the sector can do that, obviously the marketing of agriculture needs to start at a young age and needs to consistently inundate elementary and high school students who will soon enough have to choose a career pathway as they graduate and either look for a job or further their education at university or college. How do you make agriculture cool? In 2009, the Dairy Farmers of Ontario released “Milk Rap” as a television commercial. It was cool, hip, and got people talking about milk—which was all an advertisement can do. Go look it up on the Internet and smile. Kids today don’t watch a lot of television—they prefer social media sites online for their news, views, and ideas. That’s where the ag industry needs to go to create and post content to interest young Canadians. But that’s just this writer’s opinion. For worker retention, the CAHRC report suggested that the ag industry develop “good HR management practices and a positive work environment play an important role in retaining workers.” The CAAR Communicator magazine has been incorporating helpful HR tips for years. The report indicated that “almost 30 percent of workers said their main reason to leave would be because of poor management practices, and similarly, 34 percent said good management practices are what keep them working in agriculture. “Stakeholders agree that it is important to educate employers about the benefits of HR training and help employers find the right HR support and programs.” Why is this important? The CAHRC said it “can bridge the gap between employers’ awareness and the resources available, ultimately fostering better HR practices and workforce development. Of course, another way to gain more permanent labour for the agriculture sector is to boost our immigration numbers. From the moment non-indigenous people began working the land, immigration has been how Canada grew its population. Not quite the US version of 40 acres and a mule, the new Government of Canada began in 1870 to offer 160 acres of land for $10 to immigrants if they would settle in Alberta, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan and do some farming, as one of the criteria. The federal government stopped (mostly) the sale Although it appeared back in 2009, the music video Milk Rap television ad from the Dairy Farmers of Ontario was a fun and novel way to inform young viewers that milk could be cool in more ways than refrigerated. Dairy Farmers of Ontario photo
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