GrainsWest Spring 2020

Spring 2020 grainswest.com 43 complete a 113-hour training course, which does not include a mandatory 8.5-hour air brake course. A class 2 licence requires 50 hours to complete. Hubka said it used to cost him anywhere from $500 to $1,000 to have a person trained and certified with a class 1 licence. “It’s 10 times that now,” he said of training costs. “It makes it even harder to find class 1 drivers.” In addition to the $10,000 price tag for a class 1, as of Nov. 30, 2020, agriculture will no longer have any trucking exemptions and everyone will be required to be Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) compliant. While Hubka admits changes to the licensing program were overdue, he’s still doubtful it’s effective for agriculture’s unique demands. “A clampdown was needed, however, I feel farmers got the short end of the stick,” he said, adding it is unfair to compare commercial trucking firms and farmers hauling primarily on rural routes. “There needs to be a difference in licensing.” SILVER LINING Despite the uphill battle the Canadian industry faces in securing homegrown help, there are bright spots. Those who work in agriculture truly seem to enjoy it, according to the CAHRC report. Its employee survey found that 73 per cent expected to spend five-plus years in the industry and 79 per cent recommend working in agriculture. The figure was noticeably higher than research from American consultancy Aon Hewitt, which reported the North America-wide figure to be 64 per cent across all industries. “This suggests workers in agriculture are highly engaged and enjoy their work. Indeed, when asked what keeps them interested in working in the sector, 72 per cent reported they enjoy it, with other reasons including opportunities for career advancement (41 per cent), good management practices (40 per cent), job security (35 per cent) and working with family (34 per cent),” the report states. Once an employee is in the system, they really like it. However, the first critical step is getting them to the farm gate. And for those already employed in agriculture, Hauer distinguishes between two types of workers: the ones who like the work and intend to stay, and those loosely interested who don’t. “With domestic workers, people may have an interest working in ag, [but] are perhaps not aware of the variety of opportunities there are,” she said. “Agriculture needs to tell people the good stories that are there.” To read the report, visit cahrc-ccrha.ca . Hubka Farms headquarters is located just east of Claresholm. The forage operator typically employs 11 to 13 workers.