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Agriculture and Fishing

Table of contents

Overview Workforce Employment Earnings

Location of work Employment outlook Related careers Additional resources

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Overview

Employment summary

Growth (2016-2017):

+10.0%

Job growth (2016-2017):

+2,500

Total employment (2017):

28,500

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Key points

Agriculture jobs are highly seasonal and often temporary.
Almost half of those working in the industry are self-employed.
Wages for most workers are far below the provincial average.
Very few jobs in this industry are unionized.

The Agriculture industry includes businesses that are involved mainly in crop production, animal production and the provision of support services to the Forestry and Agriculture industry.

Crop production businesses include farms, orchards, groves, greenhouses and nurseries. Animal production businesses include ranches, farms, feedlots and similar businesses involved in raising and fattening animals and turning out animal products.

Workforce

Gender

Employment by gender in 2017

Men: 62%

Women: 38%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Provincial average in 2017

Men: 52%

Women: 48%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Age groups

% of employees under 25 years of age

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

% of employees 55 years and older

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Employment

Types of employment

	2012	2017	B.C. average (2017)
Part time (% of employees working part time)	2012 22%	2017 19%	B.C. average (2017) 22%
Self-employed (% of employees who are self-employed)	2012 40%	2017 50%	B.C. average (2017) 18%
Temporary jobs (% of employees in temporary jobs)	2012 34%	2017 27%	B.C. average (2017) 14%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Workplace

% of workers in firms less than 20 employees

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

% of workers in private sector jobs

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rate

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Earnings

Average hourly wages in this industry

Men

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Women

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Youth

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Location of work

% employment of this industry

% employment of all industries

Vancouver Island / Coast

Mainland / Southwest

Thompson-Okanagan

Kootenay

Cariboo

North Coast & Nechako

Northeast

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Employment outlook

			2018	2023	2028
Forecasted employment			2018 26,100	2023 26,400	2028 26,600

Note:support activities for agriculture are not included

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted average annual employment growth rate

2018 - 2023
2023 - 2028

Note:support activities for agriculture are not included

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted industry share of total employment

2018
2023
2028

Note:support activities for agriculture are not included

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Related careers

Managers in agriculture (NOC 0821)

Fishermen/women (NOC 8262)

General farm workers (NOC 8431)

Nursery and greenhouse workers (NOC 8432)

Harvesting labourers (NOC 8611)

Additional resources

B.C. Ministry of Agriculture
http://www.gov.bc.ca/agri/

BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation
http://www.aitc.ca/bc/

Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council
http://www.agritalent.ca/

Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia
http://iafbc.ca

North American Industry Classification System
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/industry-industrie-eng.htm

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Latest numbers for B.C. in August 2019