The Food Industry, A Major Employer


There has been major construction going on on my street for the past month. The city is installing new sewer pipes and the steamshovels; backhoes and dump trucks are on 12 hour days. My water supply, outside, is hooked up to their system and last night we had to leave a tap running all night, as temperatures are sinking below freezing. They are trying to beat the cold and have only a few weeks left.

This week begins a series of articles which explore work and the future of work in the food industry. This article will set the stage for the rest of the series. Part two will be available October 30.

When you drop in or drive by your favourite hamburger spot, you may only see a few employees taking orders, flipping burgers and making french fries. However, the food industry employs a wide range of people in order to get that burger to you.

In the United States, agricultural industries employ about one-fifth of all workers and only 20% of the careers in agriculture require a college degree. Agriculture involves much more than farming and/or ranching, but less than 20% of all agricultural employees are involved in actual farming and/or ranching.

The following employment areas are all involved in the agricultural sector and while not all are necessarily invovled in hamburger production, nevertheless, there are many people employed in each area: forestry, horticulture, agricultural mechanics, production agriculture, agricultural professions, renewable natural resources, agricultural supplies and services, agricultural processing, products, and distribution.

In places such as Alberta, Canada food production is a major business and employs thousands of people. It is obvious that major changes to our diet, production methods or weather can affect thousands and possibly create a serious disturbance to the overalll economy. This does not mean that change shouldn't occur, just that it needs to be a planned change, which may include retraining and adjustment programs.

The copyright of the article The Food Industry, A Major Employer in From Field To Table is owned by Bob Ewing. Permission to republish The Food Industry, A Major Employer in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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