Agricultural Alliance to implement an Agriculture Workforce Development Plan
News release
April 15, 2021 · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
Canada’s young people and skilled immigrants are key to the future success of our agricultural sector. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring our youth and newcomers are able to play an active role in building a stronger and more prosperous sector.
Initiative will promote agriculture careers to youth and newcomers
Pat Finnigan, Member of Parliament for Miramichi-Grand Lake and Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, today announced an investment of more than $125,000 for the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick (AANB). The funding will help the AANB implement its Agricultural Workforce Development Plan over the next two years. The plan aims to bridge labour gaps by building strong recruitment and retention practices through youth engagement, immigration and training partnerships with industry.
This includes hiring a coordinator to oversee the plan’s implementation and promote agriculture careers to youth, their parents and newcomers, as well as linking farmers to important human resource information, resources and networks.
MP Finnigan made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages.
The Government of Canada is committed to providing employment opportunities for youth and newcomers in agriculture, sowing the seeds for future careers in the sector.
Quotes
“We stand behind our agriculture sector, which supports our family farms and the vitality of our rural areas. By investing in projects like the AANB, our government will continue to address labour shortages in the agriculture sector, while encouraging more youth and skilled newcomers to discover the career options agriculture has to offer.”
- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA
“Agriculture is intrinsic to New Brunswick’s economy and heritage, and represents a way of life for many families and communitites. AANB’s Workforce Development Plan and its programming will help introduce our youth and skilled newcomers to career opportunities in agriculture while also helping farmers access important information, networks and resources.
- Pat Finnigan, Member of Parliament for Miramichi-Grand Lake and Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food
“Labor shortages on farms is one of the biggest concerns for the agricultural industry. We need to have the right strategy in place to make sure the future of farming in our province remains viable in order to provide food to consumers. The coordinator for the Agricultural Workforce Development Plan will focus on recruitment, succession planning, education, training, and immigration that will attract and retain farmers and farm workers to New Brunswick. We are grateful to ACOA for providing the funding for this project and look forward to working in collaboration with them.”
- Anna Belliveau, CEO, Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick
Quick facts
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The Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick (AANB) is a grassroots, bilingual organization of farmers working for farmers with a mission to support a sustainable and prosperous agriculture industry.
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The agriculture and agri-food sector contributes more than $140 billion to the value of goods and services produced in the country. The sector employs 2.3 million people, accounting for one in eight jobs in Canada.
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ACOA is providing a non-repayable contribution of $125,400 to the AANB through the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, which supports projects that promote sustainable community economic development, enhance business development and growth, and facilitate innovation.
Associated links
Contacts
Catherine Mounier-Desrochers
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Economic
Development and Official Languages
Catherine.Mounier-Desrochers@canada.ca
Anna Belliveau
Chief Executive Officer
Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick
506-452-8101
ceo@fermenbfarm.ca
Ann Kenney
Senior Communications Officer
ACOA NB Fredericton
Ann.kenney@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
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