Government finally acknowledges foreign workers benefit the economy.   Ottawa--The Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council (CAHRC) will be running a nine-month project to help farmers cut through the red tape keeping them from hiring foreign workers when Canadians aren't available. For years farmers and food processors have been hindered in bringing foreign workers when they can't find Canadians by changes the former Harper government made to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The Trudeau government continued the policy despite reams of evidence that it's hurting agrifood and other rural and small town industries. Agriculture Canada is providing CAHRC with about $280,000 to lead a Quality AgriWorkforce Management Program: International Phase (QAMP) that will support employers who hire international workers to supplement their Canadian workforce. The intent of the program will be to provide employers with the information, training and tools needed to efficiently and successfully hire and manage international workers. “Farm employers participating in the International Phase of QAMP are putting time and effort into learning the evolving process, the rules, and best practices to support their farm workers,” said CAHRC Executive Director Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst. The program will improve “the understanding that agriculture is a trustworthy industry that safeguards its workers.” CAHRC will implement the project through a variety of workshops and webinars across Canada while developing employer guides and handbooks, she said. It's planning to develop a skills hub that would house a variety of HR management focused best practices that would be available to employers across the agrifood spectrum.” The sector needs “workers from all skill levels to meet the range of skills and experience necessary to capitalize on the growing demand for Canada's highly sought after agrifood products.” CAHRC research shows farm operators forgo about $1.5 billion in cash income annually because of a lack of workers. That's comparable to about 3 per cent of the industry's total sales. The research concluded there are about 59,000 unfilled jobs in the agriculture sector and that primary agriculture has the highest industry job vacancy rate of all sectors at 7 per cent. Without any changes in farm worker recruitment or supply, the worker shortfall could reach 114,000 jobs in 2025, the year that agrifood sector has been challenged to hit $75 billion in exports compared to its current $56 billion. The agrifood strategy table report released last fall also made a strong case for filling job vacancies when Canadians weren't available. During its consultations, it found the most widely discussed area needing government action “continues to be increasing the labour force that will be needed in all skill levels and experience necessary for the Canadian agrifood sector to take full advantage of the domestic and global market that eagerly awaits more” of Canada's highly valued agrifood products.” CAHRC said its research shows “many agricultural employers provide language training, voluntary settlement support, and non-monetary compensation.” As well several sector sectors have started special initiatives to assist their employees. The Ontario Greenhouse and Vegetable Growers (OGVG) is leading an International Farm Worker App "HUBConnect" that is being developed by CAHRC in collaboration with OGVG growers and a community support group. The Alberta Cattle Feeders Association leads a Recruitment and Retention campaign supported by CAHRC that included the development of job profiles and human resource management recruitment and retention workshops. Mushrooms Canada is developing harvester e-learning training program.  CAHRC partnered with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) that had tremendous success with over 100 placements in Alberta rural areas in a 6 month period in 2016. Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.