The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council has found that many farmers are stingy with wages for employees.
The council surveyed 609 employees across 140 organizations and found the median wage for ranged from $18 to $28.00 per hour with grain farmers paying the most and dairy farmers and beekeepers only $20.
Median is the wage point at which the number making less equals those making more.
“The median for farm managers ranged from $30 to $39.90. Grain & oilseed paid the highest weighted average and median for farm managers,” the report stated. “Dairy paid the lowest farm manager wage across all industries by an estimated $4 an hour.”
General farm labourers, the lowest paid category overall, again received the highest median pay in the grain & oilseed sector ($21.67 per hour) while apiculture paid the least ($16.50 per hour).
The low wages in dairy and apiculture weren’t necessarily offset by non-monetary compensation such as health and dental plans, the survey found.
While more than half of organizations surveyed indicate they offer these, dairy more than 70 per cent of dairy businesses did.
The most common benefit was training and development, at 87 per cent of employers.
The council said its study can provide farmers with a better understanding of compensation practices so they can build better relationships with their employees.
“Providing essential compensation data resources to all industry producers is a critical step to attracting top talent, retaining current experienced talent and bettering careers in the agriculture industry,” the study said.
“Rethinking the standard approaches of how employees are compensated and supported through benefits can serve to improve the current agriculture labour market shortages.
