Alberta Pork is urging its members to think about COVID-19 as an opportunity to hire Canadian workers.
In the last two months, millions have lost their jobs at hotels, restaurants, clothing stores and other businesses in the service sector. Some of those workers might be willing to try a new career in production agriculture, if given the right incentives.
“Bringing these workers to the farm will require extra effort on your part to train them, but we believe many Canadian citizens and permanent residents, once introduced to the farming way of life, will find value in the industry… and that new employees will remain within the agriculture industry after the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted,” Alberta Pork says on its website.
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Charlotte Shipp, industry programs manager with Alberta Pork, said foreign workers represent a portion of the workforce on hog barns in the province, but she couldn’t provide an overall percentage.
It depends upon the farm. Hutterite colonies would have no foreign workers and an independent producer might have a few on staff.
Regardless, the industry needs more Canadian employees.
“We are trying to maximize this opportunity, to see if we can get some Canadians working on farm,” Shipp said, adding Alberta Pork is focusing on rural residents who may have lost their job. “Some producers have (already) received (a few) inquiries from folks looking for work.”
