It may be surprising to learn that many of the assumptions made about the role of women in agriculture are based on rather old data, incomplete data, or anecdotes. To better understand the role of women in agriculture and the barriers, challenges and opportunities they face, Farm Management Canada, in partnership with CentricEngine, has published… Read More
Category: Human Resources
Brent Derkatch has been named as the new president and CEO of CANTERRA SEEDS. Derkatch steps into the role as long-time CEO David Hansen announced his retirement earlier this year. Derkatch has been with CANTERRA SEEDS since 2001, and has served as the director, Pedigreed Seed Business Unit for the past five years. Derkatch will… Read More
Oleta (Leta) LaRush is set to lead BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions, effective November 1, 2023. In this role, LaRush will lead Canadian operations and the Canadian Leadership Team for the agriculture division at BASF, and will join the company’s North American Leadership team. She will also continue to serve as a member of the BASF Canada… Read More
Those within the agriculture industry often love to tell anyone who will listen that there are many amazing career opportunities in the sector. They are right, of course — there are thousands of jobs going unfilled and plenty of career advancement opportunities for those interested. But agriculture has too much of a good thing, and… Read More
Canada Beef and the Canadian Beef Check-off Agency have announced that Eric Bienvenue will join the team as incoming president effective Tuesday, October 3, 2023. Bienvenue brings 30 years of experience in the pork and poultry industries to Canada Beef. Current president Michael Young will mentor Bienvenue for a six-month transition period, at which time… Read More
The Dairy Herdsperson Apprenticeship (DHA) program at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus will be available through virtual delivery to reach more students interested in a professional herdsperson careers. In a partnership with the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), Ridgetown Campus will use $300,000 of government funding to develop virtual learning modules and increase program… Read More
The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) welcomes Kyle Larkin as its new executive director. Larkin will assume the post from interim ED, Tyler Bjornson. Prior to joining the GGC, Larkin served as vice-president at Impact Public Affairs, a national public affairs firm. Prior to this, he held key positions in various offices on Parliament Hill,… Read More
Agriculture has long struggled to attract and retain enough people at nearly every stage of the industry; from general labour, to skilled operators, to farm management, and in the c-suite. In certain geographies, local job markets have made things even more difficult, as higher paying jobs pulled people away from the farm. But now, just… Read More
Ontario dairy farmer and producer group leader Peggy Brekveld has been acclaimed as chair of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC). Brekveld also serves as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. She replaces Paul Glenn, representing the Canadian Young Farmers Forum, who completed his 2021 to 2023 term as of June 20, 2023…. Read More
A three-year, two-phase, $1.7 million Ontario initiative is set to promote careers in agriculture through agricultural societies. The Promoting Agri-Food Careers initiative was announced by Huron Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson over the weekend. Funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP), the program will be available to 213 agricultural societies, represented by the Ontario Association… Read More
BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions has announced Bill Baxter will serve as its director of sales and part of the company’s Canadian leadership team. Baxter will lead BASF’s sales team within Canada from the office in Calgary, Alta., and assumes the role starting July 1, 2023. He was most recently director of commercial excellence for BASF… Read More
Those in agriculture have been encouraged to “tell their story” for years, all in the name of maintaining the social license to operate, or to gain acceptance and understanding of farm practices by the public. But there’s another reason for farmers and agri-business owners to tell a good story: to attract and retain great staff… Read More
The federal government will extend the Agri-Food Pilot until May 14, 2025. Launched in May 2020, the pilot program is designed to facilitate the transition of agricultural and food industry workers to permanent residency in Canada. Recruiting and retaining a skilled workforce is key to success for Canadian farmers and food processors, the government says…. Read More
For any farmer, focusing on learning and development allows them to continuously improve in a vast amount of areas. As agriculture evolves, so do agronomic practices, risk management tools, and technological advancements. By constantly learning and expanding their skillset, farmers can identify new opportunities, increase profitability, and productivity. Developing new skills can also improve problem-solving… Read More
The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) has begun the process of searching for the next president and CEO of the organization, now that current president Jim Everson has announced he is leaving. Everson will continue in the role until a new president and CEO is in place. The executive committee of the CCC board has… Read More