There is a growing labour shortage in the agriculture industry.

Agrium Vice President and Regional Manager of Crop Production Services Kevin Helash tells Rural Roots Canada we have to start teaching kids early about agriculture to help fill the growing need for people to work in the industry.

“The amount of people in the country continues to decline and I think we have to go back into the school system and talk more about the benefits of working in the agriculture sector,” says Helash.

Helash definitely doesn’t shy away from pitching agriculture as a great career.

“You can have a great career working in the industry, you don’t have to pack up and move to the city,” says Helash.  “There’s lots of great opportunities out in the country and I think working with companies like Crop Production Services with Agrium allows you a lot of different avenues to pursue in your entire career.”  “You don’t have to be stuck in one place or one business area.”

Helash says we must continue to promote the industry in the cities.

“We just need to continue to promote our business to the urban centres that we are doing really good things and also try to convince the young people to come and work in our industry because if offers a really great career.”

He says they are big supporters of the Agriculture For Life initiative and what it does to educate youth about agriculture here in Alberta.