A northwestern Ontario farmer has been appointed chair of the board of directors for the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) for a two-year term.
Peggy Brekveld, along with her husband Gert, own and operate Woodstar Farm, a 75-cow dairy operation in Murillo, about 25 minutes west of Thunder Bay.
Brekveld, who’s been a board member since 2021, is being elevated from the position of vice-chair, which she held for part of the 2021-2022 term.
She’s additionally president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and is a member of the Agricultural Adaptation Council board.
“The agricultural industry is a leading economic driver for the Canadian economy and provides Canada and the world with a sustainable, safe and secure supply of food and other products. A leading issue in the industry is the labour shortage being faced across all commodities in all areas of the country,” Brekveld said in a June 26 news release.
“The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is leading the way in addressing this shortage and ensuring the industry has the workforce and skills for now and into the future. I am very pleased to be part of the solution in the role of chair for the next two years.”
Joining Brekveld on the board are vice-chair Stefan Larrass, representing Flowers Canada Growers; treasurer Cyr Couturier, representing Canadian Aquaculture Industry Association; Brenna Mahoney, representing Keystone Agricultural Producers; and Connie Kehler, representing Canadian Herb, Specialty Agriculture & Natural Health Products Coalition.
The CAHRC is a national, non-profit organization focused on addressing human resource issues facing the agricultural industry.
Last spring, the organization and its partners released a new plan — National Workforce Strategic Plan for Agriculture and Food and Beverage Manufacturing — to address labour gaps in the sector.
It found that food and beverage manufacturers are short an average of 25 per cent of their workforce, with operators identifying labour as the top barrier to growing their businesses.
The report also found that employers in primary agriculture lost upwards of $2.9 billion in sales in 2020, which was attributed to vacancies related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source : Northern Ontario Business