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Addressing Labor Challenges Together

Addressing Labor Challenges Together

By Jeremy Jubenville and Florencia Colella 

Ask any agricultural employer in Michigan to list their biggest concerns and there's a good chance labor ranks near the top. Attracting and retaining employees has long been a challenge for the food and agriculture industry. In an effort to address this issue, a multi-organizational team led by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has developed an Employer Hiring Needs survey to gain insight into the current hiring practices of food and agricultural employers. The team, which includes colleagues from MDARD, Michigan Farm BureauMichigan State UniversityMichigan State University ExtensionMichigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and Michigan Works!, will use this insight to identify trends and develop recruiting and retention suggestions for Michigan's food and agricultural business sector.

Click for Food and Agriculture Employer Hiring Needs Form

Are you an employer in the food and agriculture sector? Please help our efforts to assist the industry in breaking out of a seemingly never-ending state of labor shortage by filling out the form and sharing it with other employers.

The Employer Needs Form gathers basic information, such as:

  • Size of organization
  • Benefits and compensation
  • Top hiring positions
  • Peak hiring months
  • Job promotion practices
  • Partner organizations
  • Training programs

It has 17 questions and should take about 10 minutes or less to complete.

Participation is voluntary and information gathered will remain confidential.

Source : msu.edu

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Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Video: Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Regulations help markets and industry exist on level playing fields, keeping consumers safe and innovation from going too far. However, incredibly strict regulations can stunt innovation and cause entire industries to wither away. Dr. Peter James Facchini brings his perspective on how existing regulations have slowed the advancement of medical developments within Canada. Given the international concern of opium poppy’s illicit potential, Health Canada must abide by this global policy. But with modern technology pushing the development of many pharmaceuticals to being grown via fermentation, is it time to reconsider the rules?

Dr. Peter James Facchini leads research into the metabolic biochemistry in opium poppy at the University of Calgary. For more than 30 years, his work has contributed to the increased availability of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes to assist in the creation of morphine for pharmaceutical use. Dr. Facchini completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto before completing Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky in 1992 & Université de Montréal in 1995.