The AgriPost Survey Looks at Number of Farmers Nearing Retirement and Skills Gap

By Harry Siemens

When a new study recently conducted in partnership with the University of Guelph suggested that 40% of farm operators will retire by 2033 leaving Canada without enough farmers, some farmers on Twitter responded.

The report, put together by the Royal Bank of Canada, Boston Consulting Group Centre for Canada’s Future and the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, said the country would be short 24,000 general farm, nursery and greenhouse operators.

It found these gaps loom at a time when Canada’s agricultural workforce needs to evolve to include skills like data analytics and climate-smart practices that enable us to grow more food with fewer emissions.

Gunter Jochum, who farms west of Winnipeg near Eli said there would be fewer farmer workers but not a shortage of farmers. Instead, there will be a need for more skilled farm employees and more automation.

But Jochum said there are very few farms in his area and on just like his farm they don’t have a younger generation waiting in the wings or ready to be involved.

Several farmers from different areas of Canada jumped in quickly to agree with Jochum, also president of the Wheat Growers Association.

“I’d agree with Gunter. In our area, very few farms don’t have a younger generation waiting in the wings or already involved,” said

Ron Krahn at Rivers. “So just focussing on the number of farmers set to retire is misleading.”

John from Brinston, Ontario who operates mainly a dairy farm with just enough corn and beans to make it even more interesting posted that it is a good thing that they are asking. “To answer the question, the answer would be yes. Not so many farmers but maybe managers. Even with robotics; labour is still a concern.”

H. Delichte of Delichte, farms a 126-year-old, 6th-generation Dairy/Grain Farm in south central Manitoba near Alphonse, wrote that ownership of farm resources, such as land, quotas, etc., will continue to become concentrated into fewer hands. In addition, automation will alter the nature of on-farm employment. “The need for agronomists, technicians, and service providers will increase to keep automation working 24-7-365.”

Colin James Bettles chief executive of Grain Producers Australia said, “While the world needs to eat we’ll always have farmers; the job is essential to human survival and political stability.”

Some governments are more acutely aware of food security and act faster to fill job shortages. However, there are also shortages of doctors, teachers, and police to name a few.

Brian Kennedy of Calgary said stats indicate that there are two kinds of farmers in Canada; old and older. “But, from what I see in Alberta’s grains sector, there will