Mark Wales is the new Chair of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Labour Task Force.
The Task Force was established by the Agriculture and Agri-Food Value Chain Roundtables in 2012 to examine issues of agriculture and agri-food labour management and shortages.
Wales is past president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.
He also chairs the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council.
Wales argues labour shortages are pervasive in the agriculture and agri-food sector and are affecting current operational success.
The Task Force has put together a Labour Action Plan to address the sector's workforce shortages.
The LTF says that plan has practical and achievable recommendations that have the support of 45 industry partners.
Wales says it is urgent and essential to find short, medium and long-term solutions to those shortages to allow for continued prosperity and growth for the agri-food industry.
