Keep an Open Mind About New Farm Labour

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Scarcity of employees is prompting new approaches to hiring.

By Emily Mckinlay

As the agriculture industry continues to evolve, so does its need for labourers. Many farms across the Prairies have challenges finding employees, making it difficult to complete daily tasks while growing their businesses.

Jennifer Wright, executive director of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC), says that as the labour shortage grows, some farmers may consider reducing inputs and production or leaving the industry.

“The labour shortage in Canadian agriculture is continuing to grow. What we are seeing through our research and work with producers is that it is now affecting inputs they are putting in,” says Wright.

“We are seeing a change in business models and are hearing that some producers leave the industry because of these shortages. It is changing the amount of work they have on their farm and the amount of stress which is placed on themselves and other employees while making sure the work gets done.”

In 2023, CAHRC published an Agricultural Labour Market Forecast using data from a 2022 survey. In this report, they estimated that more than 100,000 jobs may have been unfilled during the peak agricultural season of 2022. Some 71,000 jobs went to foreign workers and approximately 28,000 positions were left unfilled.

The report also estimates that due to the aging population of farmers, the industry will see more than 85,000 retirements before 2030, contributing to the expected 15 per cent increase in the labour gap.

Steve Brackenridge, farmer, equipment consultant and grain elevator owner, believes that the industry can be attractive to new workers.

“There are vast opportunities for people to work in agriculture,” says Brackenridge.

“It can be a fulfilling and rewarding career for anyone who chooses to get into it.”

How is the labour shortage impacting production and how are farmers managing it?

Cause and effect

The population of rural communities has been changing, and at the same time, agriculture has been rapidly evolving to keep pace with technological advancements.

“The Canadian population is changing. Overall, the population is aging, so the Canadian workforce is aging, and all industries are facing labour shortages to some degree,” says Wright.

“Agriculture tends to have an older workforce. The average age is around 57 years, and fewer young people are coming into the workforce than in the past.”

The rising age of Canadian farmers will play a role in the number of retirements predicted by the CAHRC Agricultural Labour Market Forecast. Some retirements may be premature due to a lack of farm labourers and increased stress and workload.

Wright adds, “Rural communities are smaller, and farmers aren’t having as many children. Their children are also not necessarily staying and working on the farm.”

As farmers retire, and fewer are replaced by younger workers, the changing nature of farm work has influenced the labour gap.

Advancing technology, artificial intelligence, autonomous equipment, and fewer manual labour jobs have created a demand for a new skill set.

“The work is changing to some degree with the introduction of more technology, automation, and AI. That’s changing the skills required at every level of work,” says Wright.

Brackenridge notes that this challenge is present off the farm for equipment dealers and mechanics as well.

“Manufacturers and dealerships are struggling to get skilled tech people because agriculture is getting very advanced with GPS and the amount of data we collect off equipment. They are struggling to find people to do that,” he explains.

“The number of skilled trades coming into the industry is tremendous. Agriculture isn’t just ‘American Gothic’ – that painting of the couple with the pitchfork – anymore. It’s such a diverse opportunity but we don’t talk about it to our kids.”

The CAHRC report also found that sectors involving more hands-on labour were experiencing the shortage to a greater extent. During the peak growing season, greenhouse and nursery, tree fruit and vine, and other crop industries (excluding grain and oilseed production) accounted for 46 per cent of the vacant positions.

To accommodate the scarcity of employees for these positions, farmers have been attempting to increase their efficiency to reduce the number of people needed.

“They are trying to find efficiencies in ways work is done,” says Wright.

“Some farmers might be looking at contracting out some of the work – like spraying, planting, and harvesting – if they don’t have enough staff.

“Unfortunately, we are seeing some farmers reducing their inputs and production to better align with what they know their workforce will be able to manage. We are also seeing farmers leaving the workforce because of the stress of not having enough employees and finding and retaining workers year after year.”

Recruitment and retention

How can producers ease the stress of recruitment and retention?

Many farmers have traditionally relied on neighbours and word-of-mouth to seek new employees. This approach has worked well for Brackenridge.

Employee Rachel Campbell didn’t come from an ag background but applied for her position with the farm and elevator because she heard about it from her sister.

“My sister worked at Green Tractor, and she’s also a horse trainer. One person who brings grain to our elevator mentioned to her that there was a job opening,” explains Campbell.

Brackenridge adds, “Somebody heard that we were looking for someone to work. Rachel appeared, and we gave her a chance. We usually we do a two-week trial and, at the end of two weeks, if you don’t like it or I don’t think it’s good fit, then no harm, no foul.

“Even without ag experience Rachel is probably one of the best employees we have. She came with an eager willingness to learn and no preconceived notions, and embraced it.”

When searching for new employees, Wright also suggests reaching past close contacts to broaden your search.

“The traditional way of hiring is telling neighbours you’re looking to hire. There are not as many people in that circle,” says Wright.

“Farmers should try taking a different approach. They could be posting jobs online or providing information on their website if they have one. They can also try connecting with recruitment agencies if necessary or get the word out on Facebook or LinkedIn.”

She encourages farmers to follow best human resources practices with their job postings. They should include clear descriptions of the working environment and the necessary skills. It is also effective to conduct a structured recruitment process, including interviews.

“Following good HR practices can help with the hiring process once you get resumes coming in, and it can help on the retention side.

“Connect with local employment offices, or local colleges and universities, that may or may not have agriculture programs. There may be someone that does not have specific agriculture experience but has different experience that could be translated into a farm environment, and they could be trained on the job.”

As Brackenridge found with Campbell, sometimes the right attitude can outweigh direct farm experience.

While some farms find recruitment a challenge, others struggle more with retaining employees.

“There are lots of things that make it difficult to retain employees. There are challenges sometimes with seasonality, and it’s not always possible to have that ‘9 to 5’ or Monday to Friday schedule,” says Wright.

“But there can be other benefits. Over the seeding season, employees might be working longer hours or on weekends, but during the winter, they might have every Friday off or have a more flexible schedule.”

Brackenridge and Campbell both recommend giving employees a seat at the table and an opportunity to learn.

“I did my two-week trial and loved it,” says Campbell about starting her job with Brackenridge.

“Now they’ve taught me more so I can contribute more. That has been a big factor for me wanting to stay here, and now I want to learn more. I applied because I needed a job with those hours, but I ended up staying because I loved learning.”

Brackenridge says, “Farms in Canada are still mostly family farms. If you treat your employees like family – with respect and hear what they have to say – they tend to stick around. And it eases the burden on the operator because they receive good quality advice from invested employees.”

He believes that employee engagement and investment is the key to retention.

“I really believe that for retaining employees, they do have to have a seat at the table,” says Brackenridge.

“They should be engaged in doing the work that needs to be done. Talk 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 work-force 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