Governments Helping Workers Start Careers in the Agri-food Sector

Feb 25, 2022

Canada and Ontario investing $4 million in new pilot projects to address food processing labour shortages

TORONTO – The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $4 million to help build a strong and competitive agri-food workforce that will ensure people can continue to access the safe and healthy food grown and made in Ontario.

Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the new Ontario Agri-Careers Support Initiative will support pilot projects that help the sector attract, support and retain workers by developing solutions that enable businesses to better meet the needs of employees.

Examples of pilot projects that could be eligible for funding include:

transportation initiatives for employees to commute to the job site
childcare options while parents are at work
language proficiency solutions for workers with English as a second language
Improving workspace environments to help retain employees.

“There are countless quality and dynamic job opportunities for those looking for rewarding careers in agriculture,” said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Our government will continue to support initiatives that help Ontario’s food sector retain skilled workers and operate under the best possible conditions to continue providing nutritious, safe, high-quality foods to Canadians and a growing global population."

“There is not a one-size-fits-all solution to address the labour challenges in our agri-food sector,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “We are supporting projects that will make it easier for workers to start and continue their careers in the agri-food sector. These projects will help provide concrete solutions to ensure the sector have the workers they need to keep the province’s food supply chain safe and strong.”

Pilot projects may be eligible for up to 70 per cent of approved expenses to a maximum of $80,000 for individual businesses or up to $200,000 for a collaboration between two or more businesses. The new Ontario Agri-Careers Support will provide funding support for pilot projects undertaken by food processing businesses with more than 100 employees.

“There is a need for more workers in the agri-foods sector and our government is committed to helping people start these well-paying and meaningful careers,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “That is why we are investing in programs that give employers the ability to retain workers and grow their business. These programs offer rewarding work in communities across our province and help solve our labour shortage.”

The data collected from these pilots will be compiled into a report by the Agricultural Adaptation Council, and shared with Ontario agri-food processors to help identify successful programs that may be utilized in their individual operations with the aim to address long-term labour challenges.

Source : news.ontario.ca

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.