Agricultural Labor Force Survey- Brant, Elgin, Middlesex, Norfolk & Oxford CDs: Bio-Products Firms

1. Bio-Products Labor Force Survey: Ontario Bio-Products Companies

This survey is for firms/companies involved in the production of bio-products. Bio-products may or may not be the primary products of the firm/company. The survey should be completed by somebody in responsible position such as a plant manager, human resource manager, production manager or someone who has knowledge of bio-products and is directly involved in the day to day operations of bio-products. All information provided is strictly confidential and we thank you for participating.

1. Please indicate where your business is located.

Please indicate where your business is located. County
City/Municipality

2. Please indicate your Business Industry Classification (North American Industry Classification System-NAICS) and years of operation:

Please indicate your Business Industry Classification (North American Industry Classification System-NAICS) and years of operation: NAICS
Years of operation

3. How would you categorize your company?

How would you categorize your company? Branch/Dept of a company	A cooperative	Sole proprietorship	Partnership
Other (please specify)

4. What are your company's bio-products and by-products? Please list the products below:

What are your company's bio-products and by-products? Please list the products below: Primary bio-products
By-products

5. What are your major agricultural/forestry or marine inputs/biomass type? (Inputs directly from agriculture, forestry and marine or by-products from processed agriculture, forestry or marine).

	Crops	Plants	Wood	Vegetable Oils	Animal Manure	Other
Agriculture	*What are your major agricultural/forestry or marine inputs/biomass type? (Inputs directly from agriculture, forestry and marine or by-products from processed agriculture, forestry or marine). Agriculture Crops	Agriculture Plants	Agriculture Wood	Agriculture Vegetable Oils	Agriculture Animal Manure	Agriculture Other
Forestry	Forestry Crops	Forestry Plants	Forestry Wood	Forestry Vegetable Oils	Forestry Animal Manure	Forestry Other
Marine	Marine Crops	Marine Plants	Marine Wood	Marine Vegetable Oils	Marine Animal Manure	Marine Other
Industrial Waste	Industrial Waste Crops	Industrial Waste Plants	Industrial Waste Wood	Industrial Waste Vegetable Oils	Industrial Waste Animal Manure	Industrial Waste Other
Food Processing Products/By-products	Food Processing Products/By-products Crops	Food Processing Products/By-products Plants	Food Processing Products/By-products Wood	Food Processing Products/By-products Vegetable Oils	Food Processing Products/By-products Animal Manure	Food Processing Products/By-products Other

Other (please specify)

6. Please indicate the location and marketing/distribution channels for your primary bio-products:

	County	Province	Canada	International
Distributors/Wholesalers	*Please indicate the location and marketing/distribution channels for your primary bio-products: Distributors/Wholesalers County	Distributors/Wholesalers Province	Distributors/Wholesalers Canada	Distributors/Wholesalers International
Retailers	Retailers County	Retailers Province	Retailers Canada	Retailers International
Other Companies	Other Companies County	Other Companies Province	Other Companies Canada	Other Companies International
Consumers	Consumers County	Consumers Province	Consumers Canada	Consumers International
Internal Use (Company)	Internal Use (Company) County	Internal Use (Company) Province	Internal Use (Company) Canada	Internal Use (Company) International
Exports	Exports County	Exports Province	Exports Canada	Exports International

Other (please specify)

7. What markets do you consider to be of strategic importance to your bio-products? Please explain why:

What markets do you consider to be of strategic importance to your bio-products? Please explain why:

8. Are there any potential markets for your products which the company has not yet exploited?

Are there any potential markets for your products which the company has not yet exploited? Yes	No
If your answer is yes please indicate the potential markets below:

9. Do you have any expansion plans for your bio-products in the next 1-5 years?

Do you have any expansion plans for your bio-products in the next 1-5 years? Yes	No
If yes please indicate pecentage increase below (e.g. 1%, 5%, 10% 20% ... per year):

10. How important are business opportunities and issues listed below to your company as current opportunities and/or challenges. Please, rank them in order of importance (1, 2, 3… 1=most important.)

How important are business opportunities and issues listed below to your company as current opportunities and/or challenges. Please, rank them in order of importance (1, 2, 3… 1=most important.) Cost and waste reduction
New products/services
Expansion of markets/customers
Training and upgrading skills/abilities of employees
Added value business opportunities
Improved service delivery
Improved quality of products/services
Gaining market intelligence
Investment in new technologies

11. Please indicate the number of all employees in the company directly involved in bio-products operations.

Please indicate the number of all employees in the company directly involved in bio-products operations. Male
Female
Full time
Part Time
Temporary
Canadians
Foreign (permanent residents)

12. Please indicate the number of employees for each category and their corresponding age group:(under 24), (25-34), (35-44), (45-54), (55-64), (65-74) & (over 75 years) of full & part time workers for occupations that apply to your bio-products operations: Example - Biochemist 2 (>24), 1 (25-34)

Please indicate the number of employees for each category and their corresponding age group:(under 24), (25-34), (35-44), (45-54), (55-64), (65-74) & (over 75 years) of full & part time workers for occupations that apply to your bio-products operations: Example - Biochemist 2 (>24), 1 (25-34) Production Managers
Production Supervisors
Agricultural & Food Science Technicians
Market Research Analyst
Microbiologists
Biological & Science Technicians
Biochemists/Chemists/Biophysicists
Animal Technicians/Animal Breeders
Bioinformatics Specialists
Biostatisticians Engineers (Manuf., Mechanical)
Biochemical Development Engineers
Environmental Technicians/Engineers
Plant/Crop Breeders
Process Development Engineers
Process Operators
Quality Control Analysts/Inspectors
Quality Control Engineers
Research Associates (R&D)
Safety Specialists
Scientific Programming Analysts
Industrial Electricians & mechanics
Other (Please specify)
Other (Please specify)

13. Please indicate entry level hourly wage for the following occupations that apply to your operations, if you outsource any of the services please indicate the rate of pay per hour. (example-Biochemist $25/hr, Technical Service Representatives (outsourced) $30/hr)

Please indicate entry level hourly wage for the following occupations that apply to your operations, if you outsource any of the services please indicate the rate of pay per hour. (example-Biochemist $25/hr, Technical Service Representatives (outsourced) $30/hr) Production Managers
Production Supervisors
Agricultural & Food Science Technicians
Market Research Analyst
Microbiologists
Biological & Science Technicians
Biochemists/Chemists/Biophysicists
Animal Technicians/Animal Breeders
Bioinformatics Specialists
Biostatisticians
Engineers (Manuf., Mechanical)
Biochemical Development Engineers
Environmental Technicians/Engineers
Plant/Crop Breeders
Process Development Engineers
Process Operators
Quality Control Analysts/Inspectors
Quality Control Engineers
Research Associates (R&D)
Safety Specialists
Scientific Programming Analysts
Industrial Electricians & mechanics
Other (Please specify)
Other (Please specify)

14. What are some of the emerging occupations in your company/industry (bio-products operations)? Please explain why you think these occupations are emerging?

What are some of the emerging occupations in your company/industry (bio-products operations)? Please explain why you think these occupations are emerging?

15. Do you have any positions related to bio-products operations that you have not been able to fill in the last 12 months?

Do you have any positions related to bio-products operations that you have not been able to fill in the last 12 months? Yes	No
If you answered yes, please specify the occupation descriptions and give reasons why?

16. What are some of the problems or barriers you face in recruiting skilled and unskilled labour?

What are some of the problems or barriers you face in recruiting skilled and unskilled labour? Major barriers in recruiting skilled workers
Major barriers in recruiting unskilled workers

17. What are the top 2 methods you use for recruiting/hiring new employees? Please, list and rank them in order of effectiveness (method 1= most effective)

What are the top 2 methods you use for recruiting/hiring new employees? Please, list and rank them in order of effectiveness (method 1= most effective) Effective Method 1
Effective Method 2

18. How many full time employees do you plan to hire in the next 2 years and in which area of your operation (e.g. technology, computing, science, management,...)?

How many full time employees do you plan to hire in the next 2 years and in which area of your operation (e.g. technology, computing, science, management,...)? 2011
2012

19. What type of skills do you think your employees need training most?

What type of skills do you think your employees need training most? Skills set 1
Skills set 2
Skills set 3

20. What are some of the barriers and problems your employees face in accessing training? (Please check where applicable - multiple answers allowed.)

What are some of the barriers and problems your employees face in accessing training? (Please check where applicable - multiple answers allowed.) Lack of funds	Shortage of training manpower	Training time frame too long	Training not available locally	Lack of transportation	Cost of training too high	Training not offered at a convenient time
Other (please specify)

21. Please indicate your major sources of training (2-3 most used sources):

Please indicate your major sources of training (2-3 most used sources): On-the job training (formal or informal) Use of experienced company employees Out-sourced or training contractor	On-line courses & programs Apprenticeship Company human resources & training staff	Company supervisors/managers Trade schools College and /or University
Other (please specify)

22. Do you offer any apprenticeship programs?

Do you offer any apprenticeship programs? Yes	No
If you answered yes, please list areas or skills/occupations where the programs are offered:

23. Does your company have a succession plan (a plan to replace retirees)?

Does your company have a succession plan (a plan to replace retirees)? Yes

24. Please indicate the number of employees retiring, their occupations and average age (e.g. Managers (2)-average age(65), Packers(4)- Average Age(70)....):

Please indicate the number of employees retiring, their occupations and average age (e.g. Managers (2)-average age(65), Packers(4)- Average Age(70)....): Number of retirees 2010
Number of retirees 2011
Number of retirees 2012

25. Do you have problems with employee turnover?

Do you have problems with employee turnover? Yes	No
If your answer is yes please list three occupations with highest employee turnover:

26. What are some of the reasons why employees leave the company? (Please list at least 2 common reasons related to bio-products operations.)

What are some of the reasons why employees leave the company? (Please list at least 2 common reasons related to bio-products operations.) Reason 1
Reason 2
Reason 3

27. What steps have you taken to retain (keep) old and/or attract new employees?

What steps have you taken to retain (keep) old and/or attract new employees?

28. Indicate whether your company’s working atmosphere is characterized by the following conditions (Please check all that apply):

Indicate whether your company’s working atmosphere is characterized by the following conditions (Please check all that apply): Above normal heat Above normal cold Long hours	Noise Unpleasant smell Heavy lifting	Repetitive motions Long hours of standing None of the above
Other (please specify)

29. Are some of these adverse working conditions affecting your efforts to recruit/hire and or retain employees?

Are some of these adverse working conditions affecting your efforts to recruit/hire and or retain employees? Yes

30. What government regulations have a negative effect on your business? Please list at least 1-2 regulations that have negative impact on your operations and explain why:

What government regulations have a negative effect on your business? Please list at least 1-2 regulations that have negative impact on your operations and explain why:

31. What government regulations have interfered with or have a negative impact on your recruitment and retention of your labour-force? Please list regulations and explain why:

What government regulations have interfered with or have a negative impact on your recruitment and retention of your labour-force? Please list regulations and explain why:

32. Please list the most important business issues, concerns and problems your company is facing and explain why:

Please list the most important business issues, concerns and problems your company is facing and explain why:

33. Please list your company’s most important labor-force issues, concerns and problems and explain why:

Please list your company’s most important labor-force issues, concerns and problems and explain why:

34. Any additional comments?

Any additional comments?

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