Program to assist agriculture labour shortages

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:May 26, 2020

PORT DOVER – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett sees a recently-announced program to address agri-food labour challenges as vital to the riding.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) announced the provincial and federal government’s acceptance of OFA’s project proposal to rapidly develop a comprehensive support system for agriculture and food employers and job seekers.

“The Ontario government is committed to doing everything we can to support our farmers and food processors to meet their labour needs during this unprecedented time,” said Hon. Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “This project is one more way for us to invest in our farmers and the entire food supply chain so they can access the labour and training needed to continue delivering high-quality food to Ontario families.”

“Both Haldimand and Norfolk are important planks in the provincial food production picture,” Barrett said. “There are labour issues here and this initiative could assist addressing that.”

The project, Enhancing Agri-Food Workforce Readiness Along the Value Chain, includes a job matching concierge, specialized agri-training, collaborative marketing, targeted regional needs, and rapid response initiatives to keep our essential food supply chain functioning. 

OFA is partnering with AgCareers.com and CareersinFood.com to provide an enhanced job matching concierge for farmers and food and beverage processors to set up an online account, post job openings, and manage applications.

OFA will also partner to host virtual career fairs that dissolve geographic barriers, in partnership with several communities across the province. Beyond COVID-19, this platform will be particularly useful for rural and remote communities, where it can be difficult to congregate and recruit employees over vast geographies.

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For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett.com