17 The Business of Prairie Agriculture Better Farming | September 2024 about what’s coming up in next few weeks and where your struggles will be with bills due, weather events, and getting crops in. “By having those employees engaged, they buy in. Even when they are not financially invested in the outcome, they are emotionally engaged. That engagement with employees means we don’t have turnover, which is nice because it’s stable.” Using strong HR practices and listening to employee concerns and goals is an important step in ensuring employees know they are valued by the farm. Wright says that farmers can use CAHRC as a resource for HR management with their employees. “At CAHRC we have all the tools and resources for HR management for farmers,” she explains. “Those HR best practices can go a long way, even if the farm is mostly family. Having an HR structure and plan like every other aspect of your business can go a long way in success.” Education As agriculture evolves, and the workforce changes and new skills are necessary, education and training must also change to reflect the industry. Many people don’t recognize the variety of career opportunities in the industry. New positions requiring a background in technology, science, or engineering have become common. “I think the biggest challenge is that we don’t talk enough about diverse opportunities in agriculture in our education system,” says Brackenridge. “Without talking about it in primary or secondary school, it’s not a career path anyone would consider if they didn’t grow up on a farm.” Wright says that CAHRC provides support to farms who are looking to train new employees who may not have prior experience. This can help skilled workers from other fields join the industry. “We offer on-job training guidance to help farmers hire people and train them to national occupation standards,” explains Wright. “On-farm training and education is something farmers should always be looking at. “Even if someone doesn’t come from an ag background and may not be coming from an ag college or university, producers could hire someone from an environmental science background who could help with soil health, or maybe a biology background for animal production systems.” Once farmers have hired employees and have a good relationship, Wright says, “Take time to talk, be a good listener, and respond where you can to what your employees are looking for.” BF NEW HIRING STRATEGIES EMILY MCKINLAY Emily lives on a beef farm, raising Red Angus and Simmental cattle. She holds a Master of Science in Animal Biosciences, with a focus on ruminant nutrition.
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