Until the program is working, it will be hard to assess its usefulness, experts say.Ottawa--– A new federal program to attract foreign workers to rural and northern communities might be a start in solving the chronic worker shortage that affects farms and food processors across the country, says the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.CFA and other agrifood groups have been pushing the federal government to remove roadblocks to recruiting foreign workers that the former Harper government imposed on the Temporary Foreign Workers Program.President Ron Bonnet says CFA will work with its member organizations to identify those communities where agricultural employers can come together with community associations and other employers to leverage the opportunities this pilot presents.“Our goal would be to see agricultural employers work with leaders in their community to take advantage of this opportunity to address the permanent, year-round vacancies they face on a long-term basis, while contributing to the vibrancy and prosperity of rural Canada, which continues to evolve alongside their businesses,” Bonnett said.This program was announced by Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen the day after the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council (CAHRC) was awarded about $280,000 for a nine-month project to help farmers cut through the red tape keeping them from hiring foreign workers when Canadians aren't available.The Immigration Department program will run for five years. Interested communities have until March 1 to apply with successful bids to be announced this spring with the hopes of bringing workers to Canada during the summer. Potential employers will need community support to be considered.The program at least recognizes the economic importance of rural Canada and the enabling role that immigration can play in leveraging its immense potential for inclusive growth and prosperity through key sectors like agriculture, Bonnet said.CFA and many other agrifood keeps reminding government officials of the need critical need for farm workers and other rural occupations. “In 2014 alone, Canada's primary agriculture sector faced $1.5 billion in lost sales as a result of 59,000 job vacancies in primary agriculture alone. This figure is expected to nearly double by 2025,” Bonnet said.“In order for the Canadian agricultural industry to meet its immense potential and to grow as a globally competitive industry, which benefits all Canadians, the agricultural industry requires access to a robust, skilled labor force across our rural communities to sustain our industry and allow it to flourish,” he said.People involved in the worker recruitment issue says the devil is in the details of the Immigration Department program. How it will work depends on the criteria that government officials use in judging which applications to accept, they say. No one yet knows whether the program will help much and what level of community support a potential employer will require.The real question is whether the program will be of any real benefit to rural Canada in recruiting the kind of workers farmers and other resource sector employers need, they said.The Immigration Department program is open to communities in Ontario, Western Canada, and the territories. Interested communities must work with a local economic development organization to submit an application and demonstrate how immigration will promote economic development in their community.Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development Canada, said, “Removing barriers to economic development and promoting growth in local communities across the country is a priority for the government of Canada.” The new program will test “new, community-driven approaches to address their diverse labour market needs.”Eligible communities must have a population of 50,000 people or less and be located at least 75 kilometres from larger cities and towns.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.