Archives May 2015

Alberta Agriculture is now accepting applications for their

Summer Farm Employment Program

If full time farmers are thinking about hiring a student for summer employment, now is the time to apply. Once again, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development will be offering the Summer Farm Employment Program. This program gives Alberta’s youth the opportunity to gain farm work experience and provides wage support to farmers for the months of July and August. Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development provides wage support to a maximum of $400 per month as well as worker’s compensation coverage and safety training information.

Employers must own or rent a farming operation in Alberta with gross production of $25,000 per year and work must be directly related to the farming operation. This does not include domestic work or child care. Employers must recruit their own employee, provide daily supervision and ensure safe working conditions for their employee. Monthly records of time worked must be completed by the employer. Employees are paid by the farmer and by the government for each respective part of their salary, which must meet provincial minimum hourly rates.

Employees must be residents of Alberta, between 15 and 24 years of age and cannot be a direct relative of the employee. Employees must not be working fulltime anywhere else or attending school while participating in the program. If they have been working full time prior to July 1 for the employer, they are not eligible for the program. Employees require a social insurance number in order to receive payment under this program.

Farm safety is an emphasis in this program and all summer farm employers and employees are required to review a safety DVD together. Employees must complete and pass a safety quiz based on the DVD information in order to be accepted into the program.

Application forms and detailed information are available on Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s website www.agriculture.alberta.ca. Applications are processed on a first come, first served basis. Applications can be printed from the website or obtained by calling the Ag-Info Centre at 310-FARM (3276).

All applications must be submitted by May 31, 2015 and signatures of both employee and employer must be included.