By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Wednesday October 6, 2021

Oct 6, 2021 | 2:33 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – Canadian meat packers said they are dealing with a labour shortage crisis and must be allowed to bring in more temporary foreign workers.

Canadian Meat Council reported more than 4,000 empty butcher stations at packing plants across the country which works out to an average job vacancy rate of more than 10 per cent. Two plants in Quebec are near 40 per cent, while one in Alberta has a 20 per cent vacancy rate.

The Canadian Meat Council asked the federal government to raise the cap on the percentage of foreign workers a plant can employ to 30 per cent. Right now, temporary foreign workers can make up no more than 10 or 20 per cent of a meat plant’s workforce, depending on the facility.

Canada brought in major reforms to its temporary foreign worker program in 2014. The changes were meant to crack down on reported abuse of the program by some employers.

But the Canadian Meat Council says it can’t find enough Canadians who want to be butchers. It says an ongoing shortage of labour gets in the way of growth for Canada’s agriculture industry.

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Alberta game ranchers are lobbying governments in a renewed attempt to legalize hunt farms.

Alberta Elk Commission president John Cameron said allowing hunters to shoot animals bred and raised on fenced-off private land is an industry that could bring millions of dollars to rural communities and create more than 300 jobs.

His group has been trying to convince the province, as well as rural municipalities, to support the idea. But critics say hunt farms help spread wildlife diseases. Many object to hunt farms because they feel the animal doesn’t have a fair chance to escape. The idea is opposed by fish and game groups, wildlife scientists and environmentalists.

Alberta previously rejected hunt farms under former premier Ralph Klein’s Progressive Conservative government in 2002.

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Grain Farmers of Ontario is now accepting applications for the 2022 Grains Innovation Fund.

The program helps to develop novel value-added uses or support market expansion for Ontario grains.

Grain Farmers of Ontario Vice-President of Strategic Development Paul Hoekstra said it is designed to encourage innovation from companies and organizations that offer agri-food or other grains-based products.

“The evolution of grain farming in Ontario has built an incredible and resourceful community that the world has come to rely upon,” Hoekstra said. “We have seen the work of farmers and organizations come together with the shared motivation to create and provide the best products globally and we want to continue to help nurture these important collaborations.”

The fund will provide eligible companies and organizations up to 60 per cent of the cost of a project to a maximum of $50,000.

Grain Farmers of Ontario represents the province’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW