Farmers say labour and land use major concerns during P.E.I. election campaign

Farmers gathered at the Easter Beef show in Charlottetown agree their biggest issue right now is the shortage of skilled labour. 

David Francis and his son Brett run a seventh-generation mixed farm in Lady Fane.

They say they may have to make some difficult decisions because of the labour shortage. 

That includes growing more grains and protein crops, and fewer potatoes and other crops that are more labour intensive. 

As for what he'd like to hear from Islanders running in the upcoming election?

"I haven't got the answers. I guess nobody really has the answers or we would have had this problem solved but certainly training would be one area," he said.

Brett Francis agrees. 

"Maybe more education through junior high and high school. I think we have to start there when they're young and get them involved in agriculture," he said. 

Both men agree more focus needs to be put on educating Islanders about agriculture and why it's important to P.E.I. 

"People are getting farther and farther away from the rural communities and understanding what goes on in agriculture. And I think we got to close that gap with education."

David Francis said land use is also an issue he's concerned about. 

"It makes me feel really bad when I see the very best of our agricultural land being used for housing developments and basically being paved over and taken out of agriculture forever. It's real concerning," he said. 

"There's no question about it. Every acre we lose ... that's gone, gone forever basically."

Brett Francis said it's especially difficult for younger farmers who are looking to get into agriculture, or expand. 

"It's beginning to become tough for farmers to even afford to compete against people that are buying land and developing for houses or other uses, so land's a major issue too." 

He thinks the province could do more. 

"I think there has to be some legislation on keeping agriculture land and agriculture use. I think that's going to be a major problem. Population is growing and we don't have any more land, and we're losing land every day on P.E.I.  — good land, every day."

Matthias Drake from MFD Farm in Millview said getting people to work on the farm seasonally has been hard. He's had to ask his retired workers to come back to help.

"And it don't really matter what you're willing to pay or what benefits. To find good skilled labour that's reliable is impossible some days."