b'are seasonal with over one-fifth of those working in greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture operations.Shifting Trends The changes in ag labour have been well documented in recent years. In April, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) released a report titled Farmers Wanted: The labour renewal Canada needs to build the Next Green Revolution. The report detailed shifts in ag labour and highlighted various statistics.By 2033, 40 per cent of Canadian farm operators will retire, placing agriculture on the cusp of one of the biggest labour and leadership transitions in the countrys history, the report said. At the same time, a shortfall of 24,000 general farm, nursery and greenhouse workers is expected to emerge. The number of operators below the age of 55 has declined by 54 per cent since 2001 as well.A 2022 report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) titled Help Wanted: Labour Shortages Threaten the Future of Canadian Agriculture shared the impact of labour shortages on ag business across Canada. Through a survey of CFIB members about ag labour, it was found:63 per cent of ag businesses couldnt fill all employment positionsFour out of five ag businesses wouldnt advise someone to start a business because of labour shortages62 per cent of ag business owners found it difficult to recruit staffTo address labour shortages, some Canadian ag businesses do use temporary foreign worker (TFW) programs. These programs allow Canadian employers to hire foreign workers to fill temporary jobs when qualified Canadians arent available, Erin Kerbel, a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), stated in an email. In 2022 there were 32,510 TFWs working in agriculture in Canada, statistics from IRCC stated. Workers came from various countries with the top being Mexico, India, and Guatemala. The provinces with the highest amounts of TFWs were Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. While some workers in the TFW program only want to live in Canada during the work season, many permanently settle in Canada, with 7,560 TFWs becoming permanent residents in 2022. Finding EmployeesCamps and Maynard have approached filling the labour shortages on their farms in different ways. Camps uses a mix of local and international labour, while Maynard hires all local employees on his farm.For his employees, Camps has tapped into his areas local Mennonite population. The Mennonites in his region dont work Sundays which has makes them shy away from working jobs on the oilfield. During the growing season, Camps takes advantage of the Dutch exchange student program he took part in when he was younger and brings over up to four people from Holland over to work on the farm.The Mennonite guys drive truck, and they work in a shop. And then we have our Dutch guys, they do a lot of tractor driving during A crop is harvested at Farm Boys Inc. in Arlington, P.E.I. PHOTO: FARM BOYS INC. harvest and planting, Camps explains.8SPUDSMART.COMFall 2023'