Looking for a job? There's a need in agriculture, industry president says

If you're looking for a job, you'll have a great chance of finding one in agriculture, according to the president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

Keith Currie said the industry is experiencing "skilled labour issues," in which employers are unable to find workers who can operate and maintain technological equipment in agriculture.

"There's a lot of opportunities for the general public to be involved in the agri-food industry — not specifically on farm, but in the industry," Currie said, adding many people are "far removed" from what goes into food production.

"It's not their fault. That's just the way the world is today."

Technology needed in agriculture

For Currie, this week's International Plowing Match and Rural Expo is an opportunity for the public to learn more about how advanced the agriculture industry has become.

Tyler Hatton, a salesperson with McGrail Farm Equipment, said technology has gone from a "specialty market" to a "needed aspect" on the farm.

"We've got technologies in the sprayers that will monitor or adjust how much product they're putting on so they're not over-using or under-using," Hatton said.

He added that farmers are often purchasing "auto-track technology," in which tractors automatically drive straight — never veering off their intended path.

Drones have also become increasingly prevalent in the industry, allowing farmers to use them for "mapping, crop scouting and disease scouting."

Hatton said the future of farming is the autonomous tractor — a number of small tractors moving through a field without a driver.