Providing an abundant, skilled labor force

GOAL
• Enhance CT Agriculture's skilled labor force to ensure the industry will thrive
and grow

IDEAS:
• Encourage young people to come into the agricultural industry as a career.
• Work toward a federal solution to the alien labor issue;and recognize that agriculture
has unique labor needs (ie-seasonal, migratory)
• Affect a new policy for unemployment and workman's compensation as it relates
to the Agricultural sector
• CT Ag needs a voice in the state's job training program
• Strengthen the relationship between agriculture and the educational institutions
(UConn, technical and community colleges) useful to Connecticut agriculture of
the future

HOW WILL THIS INITIATIVE BE ACHIEVED?
What needs to happen to get started?
• Form a group of committed agricultural businesses that have a clear understanding
of the issues
• Establish clear objectives
• Appoint a person to lead the initiative

What resources are needed?
• Administrative support (possibly outsourced)
• Information resourced and support, including: Dept. of Labor; Dept. of Agriculture,
Legal expertise
• Private Ag businesses; and access to regional and national data

What problems/hurdles need to be overcome?
• Raise program funding
• Dealing with the present regulatory environment
• Organized labor
• Perception of agriculture as a career - not glamorous

How will CAB gain support from individual CT Ag businesses?
• Focus on common issues and greatest threats
• Gain early victories (show quick progress). What type of programs can we quickly
put in place
• Provide needed information to use existing labor pools in CT (proactive recruiting)

How will the initiative become self-sustaining?
• Gain support by adding value to individual agricultural businesses in CT
• Get enough labor to CT agriculture business when they need it
• Higher productivity - benchmarks
• Create a proven track record over time