In 2014, 57,00 jobs went unfilled in Canada's grain and oilseed industry. This domestic labour shortage resulted in lost sales of $569 million.

The grain and oilseed sector is one of Canada’s largest agricultural employers, accounting for 55,800 jobs in 2014, or 15 per cent of the total agricultural workforce.

Debra Hauer is with the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council.

She says there are several factors contributing to the worker shortage.

"The Canadian population is getting older, so we're looking at a very high number of retirements," explained Hauer. "Also, the industry is unable to supplement its Canadian workforce with foreign workers."

She adds that in the past 10 years or so there has been a significant shift away from animal production towards grain and oilseeds.

Projections indicate that by 2025, as many as 17,400 jobs are at risk of going unfilled in Canada's grain and oilseed industry.

The data was published in the Grain and Oilseed: Labour Market Forecast to 2025 study.