A three-year pilot program will begin this September to help reduce the administrative burden of accessing the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program. The Recognized Employer Program (REP) will first be made available to agricultural workers this September before a wider rollout in January 2024. The program will be available to those companies who regularly access… 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

Rail conductors, port workers, government staff, and even grocery store employees either are in the midst of a strike or have been on strike, sometimes more than once, in the last few years. Work stoppages are on the rise in several industries, but there’s more friction than just between employee and employer: disagreements and rifts… 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

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

Workers with agriculture experience will receive priority as part of a new category-based selection process for Canada’s flagship economic immigration system. Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, on Wednesday announced the launch of category-based selection and priority categories for the Express Entry system in 2023. As part of the program, invitations can be… 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

Olymel has announced the closure of its Vallée-Jonction, Quebec, plant, and will layoff about 1,000 people in the process. It’s expected to plant will take eight months to wind down, and staff will be offered positions at other Olymel plants. The hog slaughtering, cutting and deboning plant has wracked up nearly $400 million in losses… Read More