Canada's agri-food sector needs to make clear to the federal government that solving its labour issues ties into economic and nation-building plans, industry insiders say.

Government spending commitments to defense, housing could draw away workers from strapped labour pool
Agriculture wages lag behind fields like construction, manufacturing, transport; jobs may lack basic benefits
Ag domestic labour gap will increase 15 per cent by 2030 as older workers retire: CAHRC
Funds to be accessed Feb. to March., with deadline to apply at end of January
Foreign workers will be part of the solution, Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council says