Labor shortages have plagued the ag industry for some time now. However, many obs within food, agriculture, and forestry necessitate a diverse skill set.
The University of Illinois recently conducted a comprehensive examination, scrutinizing all sectors. They discovered that occupations related to production constitute one-quarter of all jobs, with management comprising 15 percent. Of the management positions, three-quarters are occupied by farmers, ranchers, or farm managers.
However, ag employers often draw workers from ag and rural communities. With the decline in family farms, that has made the prospective pool of workers much smaller. Researchers point out that there is no magic solution for workforce challenges facing food and agriculture., but they believe exposing young people to career opportunities within those industries will help.
