Getting into the Field: Labour Issues in Agriculture

Quick facts


Issue overview

Like any industry, agriculture requires a steady supply of labour to keep operations going. Farmers continue to identify chronic and critical labour shortages as one of the most pressing risks facing Canadian agriculture anda major constraint on both agricultural growth and global competitiveness. Agriculture is a complex industry that facesunique workforce challenges due to rural depopulation and seasonal production of highly perishable products.   

The CFA recognizes that industry has an important role to play in addressing labour shortages in our sector and has partnered with CAHRC and Food and Beverage Canada (FBC-ABC) to develop and launch the National Workforce Strategic Plan for Agriculture and Food and Beverage Manufacturing which recognizes that temporary foreign workers alone will not solve our challenges. We also need to focus on skills development, automation and technology, as well as industry perceptions and promoting careers in our sector.  

Farmers also are facing increasingly frequent disruptions to the supply chain caused by labour disruptions such as the recent strikes at both CN and CP rail. These disruptions have huge consequences for farmers, impacting their cash flow, ability to plan and the acquire inputs for the next growing season. CFA is seeking a long-term solution to these disruptions. 


Further information on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, including its history and relationship to Canadian agriculture, can be found here.

Click here to read CFA’s Policy Manual.