Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada's agri-food sector needs to make clear to the federal government that solving its labour issues ties into economic and nation-building plans, industry insiders say.
Agriculture, food should tie labour needs to federal priorities, panel says
Government spending commitments to defense, housing could draw away workers from strapped labour pool
The case for hiring a full-time employee on your farm
It’s different today. Employees come with expectations. You have to work with them... but on this farm, it’s more than worth it
Reading Time: 12 minutes You may have had help on the farm before on a seasonal, casual or term basis. Most farms probably have. But farming today is different, and so are the reasons why you might be considering a full-time employee. So how do you know when it’s time to take the plunge? Will it pay off, or […] Read more
Target: work-life balance
Life can be better. Even on the farm, real balance can be achieved
Reading Time: 6 minutes The struggle to find work-life balance may be “the single most important thing in your life to get right,” says Weyburn, Sask. farmer, Jake Leguee. “It’s also one of the hardest things any of us will ever do.” Farming presents unique challenges for achieving work-life balance. While technologies like robotic milkers and birthing cameras in […] Read more
Canada’s jobless rate jumps to 6.8 per cent; bets up for 50 bps rate cut next week
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada's unemployment rate rose more than expected to 6.8 per cent in November, a near-eight-year high excluding the pandemic years, even as the economy added a net 50,500 jobs, data showed on Friday, boosting chances of a large interest rate cut next week.
Commodities trading giant Cargill plans to cut around 8,000 jobs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Global trading house Cargill said on Tuesday it plans to cut around five per cent of its staff, or about 8,000 jobs after revenue slumped in its most recent fiscal year as crop prices hit multi-year lows.
Summer Series: The importance of creating clear job descriptions
[Make It Count] If job descriptions sound like a waste of time, you haven’t looked deep enough
Reading Time: 5 minutes Yes, job descriptions do take time and effort. And yes, they can seem bureaucratic, like the sort of thing that makes you glad you don’t work for the government. But those in the know say job descriptions on your farm will be worth the investment, and their value will be even more valuable if your […] Read more
Summer Series: If you build it on HR…
[Leadership] This Alberta hay outfit is people first, business second, and boss Barry Schmitt says that’s why they post great numbers. So could their approach work for you?
Reading Time: 7 minutes If you build it, they will come, right? Dedicated and hard-working employees will if you follow the advice Barr-Ag has to offer about the “people factor”.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor If you want something done, ask a busy person. We all sometimes say this, and there’s a good reason why. As generalizations go, this […] Read more
Next gen talent scouting in agriculture
Reading Time: 3 minutes Taylor Schmitt, son of company founder Barry, is operations and business manager at Barr-Ag and is in charge of Middle East and domestic sales as well as domestic logistics. Yet it is on the HR side where Taylor has really come into his own. Over the last seven years, Taylor has interviewed 250-plus candidates and […] Read more
CAHRC puts out funding call for Indigenous training initiatives
Funds to be accessed Feb. to March., with deadline to apply at end of January
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is looking to fund agriculture training programs for Indigenous participants this winter, it announced today.
Canada’s jobs growth stalls in December as wages accelerate
Declines in goods sector driven by job losses in manufacturing, construction and agriculture
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada's economy added far fewer jobs than expected in December and the jobless rate remained at 5.8 per cent, but permanent employees' wages increased at the fastest pace in three years, data showed on Friday.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
