Farming in BC isn’t just about cultivating healthy produce; it’s also about cultivating healthy workplaces. IAF and AgSafe BC have teamed up to create a remote HR support program for farmers. By simply picking up the phone, agricultural employers can now access support through the full HR cycle of hiring, training, managing, and supporting workers to keep farms running smoothly.
IAF spearheaded the Human Resources in BC Agriculture Program, thanks to recently secured funding from Agriculture and Food Workforce Development Initiative. AgSafe will launch the program beginning this Spring, to address the growing need for farming employers to manage vacancies and high turnover rates.
BC has the highest farm worker vacancy rate of any province in Canada. In 2021, there were over 4,800 unfilled positions, which accounts for 12% of the sector and if the trend continues, that is projected to reach 30% by 2029. IAF recognized that to reverse this trend the sector would need to hire thousands of new workers quickly and to develop strong people management skills to improve their worker retention rates and workforce outcomes.
“Through this program, BC’s farmers and ranchers will be able to find the resources they need to support their businesses,” says Jack DeWit, IAF Board of Directors’ Chair. He says this will increase food security in BC and “Allow food production to thrive.”
With nearly thirty years’ experience delivering programs to farmers, IAF is proud to partner with AgSafe, the non-profit health and safety association for agricultural producers, to deliver the Human Resources in BC Agriculture Program.
AgSafe is uniquely positioned to deliver a boots-on-the-ground program that can give HR resources directly to farmers where they need them—in the field. Knowing that farmers are often tied to their land, this new HR initiative is based on a remote human resources program that helped BC’s tourism industry bounce back after the Covid-19 pandemic.
A team of Regional HR Consultants will be available to agricultural producers for consultations and accessible on-demand assistance via telephone, email, or digital meetings, making it perfectly tailored to farmer’s needs. The program will assist in the full HR cycle of recruitment, onboarding, retention, and departure of employees.
Wendy Bennett, AgSafe BC Executive Director, is relieved the Human Resources in BC Agriculture Program will address farmers’ needs. “We have heard from employers that they need more human resource support,” she said. “We are proud to launch this new initiative to give the agriculture industry human resource and staffing advice at their fingertips.”
Funding for the Human Resources in BC Agriculture Program is provided by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction as part of a suite of Agricultural Labour initiatives delivered though IAF. Funding is administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC in partnership with AgSafe.
Funding for the Food Safety Program is provided by provided by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
