Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be here with you today to help you as you consider the new policy framework for agriculture.
We all enjoy the benefits of abundant, healthy, safe, and affordable food in Canada due to a world-class food system, one that feeds our 37 million Canadians, and as the fifth-largest exporter, one that feeds a multitude of people around the world.
This system relies on people—farm and food businesses and their workers—to grow, harvest, prepare, and package its delicious products. Unfortunately, the business of farm and food production is struggling to find enough workers, and its future is in jeopardy.
Our research clarifies that 10 years ago, the industry was 30,000 workers short. Today that figure has doubled to 59,000 workers, and there are clear expectations that it will double again in 10 years to 114,000 workers.
On-farm job vacancies are exceptionally high, at a 7% vacancy rate. The national average for other industries is only 1.8%, so this is a clear exception and a clear problem. It's costing the farm industry $1.5 billion in lost sales revenue each year. That's $1.5 billion on the primary agriculture side alone.
These vacancies exist despite extensive efforts by business owners to recruit and attract workers. There are lots of reasons for this. The work typically happens in rural Canada. A lot of it is seasonal. And many Canadians are that much more removed from farming backgrounds and so don't even think about working in this industry.
This is certainly something to be worried about. Not only is this an industry that supplies the food we eat, it's also a huge driver of Canada's economy, as you well know, accounting for close to 7% of Canada's GDP.
What's good for you and me, our families, and Canada as a whole is to ensure that this industry thrives. Right now, the sustainability and growth of our food industry is at risk. As you contemplate the next policy framework for agriculture and agrifood, it's critically important that this risk be acknowledged and mitigated in an intentional and strategic way. We can't put our heads in the sand and 10 years from now be in a position where we realize that we have a shortage of 114,000 workers.
However, at this point, there's no overt mention of the workforce issue in the next policy framework. This is true despite the fact that farmers and producers have been clear and have indicated that it's the number one risk to business success moving forward. What is required in the new policy framework is that we specifically address the workforce shortage and support Canada's food systems' competitiveness and growth.
This can be accomplished with the addition of a seventh priority on labour, business development, and competitiveness. It's actually a title Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has used in its own consultations with industry on the next policy framework, recognizing that this component was missing.
This seventh priority area would support key recommendations of Canada's national labour task force, which many of you are very familiar with, to strategically implement the workforce action plan. A labour, business development and competitiveness priority could achieve great things.
First, it should involve building a national career awareness initiative, a campaign to clarify the extensive and exciting work opportunities the industry has to offer. Building public trust is now recognized as an important activity for the industry, and when we clarify how food is produced, we have an opportunity to also clarify who's involved and what a great industry this is to work in.
The second thing the seventh priority should involve is improving diversity in the sector, including the full participation of women in the industry. If we want this industry to thrive and grow, we need to ensure that it's filled to capacity with the brightest people who are willing to push innovation and success.
That means we as an industry need to do better, to encourage more Canadians, young and old, those from rural and urban backgrounds, men and women, and new Canadians to consider working in this sector and ensure that there are no barriers to entry or advancement for anyone in the industry.
Third, the next policy framework's seventh priority should also involve the development of affordable and accessible training including online learning options to ensure that workers in the industry get access to the latest and most effective production techniques as well as the latest and best practices in human resource and management techniques, no matter how busy or how remote their location is.
A strategic plan has been well researched and documented by the labour task force to tackle this labour challenge. The agriculture and agri-food workforce action plan should also be managed and implemented as a seventh priority. It includes clear short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to ensure the industry can get ahead of this challenge and address it in a meaningful way to advantage the industry to grow and thrive into the future.
So before you take your next bite of whatever it is you're going to take as a snack or lunch, think about those extensive job vacancies and that 7% job vacancy rate. Think about the stress those empty positions have on our businesses in this industry and the role of government in labour policies, immigration policies, and agricultural policies. Think about what's at stake for you and me, our families, and all Canadians if we don't work together to solve this in a meaningful way.
That's it for me.