Canada needs a long-term strategy to address the challenges agricultural producers are facing due to labour issues.
That's according to Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Ron Bonnett.
He's responding to new figures released by the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council.
Council Executive Director Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst says the figures show the situation is critical now and will only get worse unless it's effectively addressed.
According to those figures, it costs Canadian farmers 1 point 5 billion dollars a year because of unfilled job openings.
That takes into account things like delayed and increased lost production, added costs or forced changes in plans to expand or upgrade facilities because the jobs aren't being filled.
The Council says the current gap between agricultural labour demand and the domestic workforce is almost 60 thousand.
It projects that could hit 114 thousand by 2025.
The research shows primary agriculture's job vacancy rate of 7 per cent is the highest of any industry in Canada.
The CFA's Ron Bonnett says his organisation will be working on collaborative solutions to the job vacancy problem between industry and government.
