The job shortage in agriculture is expected to reach 123,000 by 2030 as the sector both continues to grow and older workers retire, whether from the farm or other positions in the industry.
The opportunities in agriculture are diverse, fascinating, and fulfilling, from traditional on-farm careers working with livestock or growing crops to industry positions in research, equipment maintenance, quality control, food safety, construction, transportation, processing, product development, marketing, sales, and more.
Emerging fields are also increasingly important on the modern farm, like robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence, to name just a few.
That’s why it’s so important to encourage young people to consider careers in the agriculture sector and why the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) sponsors a bursary program (www.ofa.on.ca/community/bursary-program) every year to support individuals who wish to work in this industry.