The federal government has announced some key funding to help resolve agriculture's current workforce challenges.
The impact of the pandemic hit the agriculture and agri-food sector hard, with plant closures, market fluctuations and supply chain delays resulting in a significant shortage and loss of skilled labour.
A Labour Force Survey in December of 2022 showed that 260,600 people were working in the agriculture and agri-food sector, down 12.5% compared to pre-pandemic numbers from February 2020.
Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has announced over $19.7 million for two agriculture and agri-food projects under the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP).
The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council is receiving an investment of just over $12 million for their "Growing the Agriculture Workforce of the Future: Cultivating Canada's Post-Pandemic Recovery Project".
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