Sask. trying to address labour shortage in ag

Sep 05, 2024
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

A new immigration stream will help people in the ag industry access the talent they need

The Saskatchewan government is introducing a measure to help address the labour shortage in the province’s ag industry.

To put the ag labour gap into context, in 2017 the province’s ag sector had 1,600 job vacancies which cost the industry $574 million, the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) says.

By 2029, the province will have to fill 12,300 more jobs than the domestic labour force can fill.

“Unless Saskatchewan can find alternative sources of domestic or foreign labour, the growth potential of one of its vital sectors and its key contribution to Canada’s grain and oilseed industry will be at risk,” the CAHRC adds.

The provincial government is trying to address foreign labour challenges through a new immigration stream under the Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program (SINP).

The Agriculture Talent pathway is open to workers who have a SINP-approved job offer in Saskatchewan and intend to permanently live in the province.

Livestock labourers, harvesting labourers, butchers and other ag occupations are eligible through the stream.

This initiative is about supporting farmers and the overall ag sector, said Agriculture Minister David Marit.

"Labour shortages are a constraint to growth for agricultural producers, and by supporting them in filling critical jobs through this new pathway, we will strengthen the agricultural sector and enable producers to meet growing demands,” he said in a statement.

Saskatchewan isn’t as dependent on foreign ag labour when compared to national numbers.

Only about 1.6 per cent of the province’s ag workforce is foreign workers, the CAHRC said. This is compared to about 17 per cent across all Canadian ag.

The CAHRC estimates Sask.’s grain industry will have 5,400 job vacancies by 2029 and the beef sector will have a 3,250-person labour gap by that time.

People looking to work in agriculture can also view job listings on AgCareers.com.

Video: How farmers are protecting the soil and our food security | DW Documentary

For a long time, soil was all but ignored. But for years, the valuable humus layer has been thinning. Farmers in Brandenburg are clearly feeling the effects of this on their sandy fields. Many are now taking steps to prepare their farms for the future.

Years of drought, record rainfall and failed harvests: we are becoming increasingly aware of how sensitively our environment reacts to extreme weather conditions. Farmers' livelihoods are at stake. So is the ability of consumers to afford food.

For a few years now, agriculture that focuses solely on maximum yields has been regarded with increasing skepticism. It is becoming more and more clear just how dependent we are on healthy soils.

Brandenburg is the federal state with the worst soil quality in Germany. The already thin, fertile humus layer has been shrinking for decades. Researchers and farmers who are keen to experiment are combating these developments and looking for solutions. Priority is being given to building up the humus layer, which consists of microorganisms and fungi, as well as springtails, small worms and centipedes.

For Lena and Philipp Adler, two young vegetable farmers, the tiny soil creatures are invaluable helpers. On their three-hectare organic farm, they rely on simple, mechanical weed control, fallow areas where the soil can recover, and diversity. Conventional farmer Mark Dümichen also does everything he can to protect soil life on his land. For years, he has not tilled the soil after the harvest and sows directly into the field. His yields have stabilized since he began to work this way.

Isabella Krause from Regionalwert AG Berlin-Brandenburg is convinced after the experiences of the last hot summers that new crops will thrive on Brandenburg's fields in the long term. She has founded a network of farmers who are promoting the cultivation of chickpeas with support from the scientific community.