Agriculture, Food-processing and Forestry
Food and agri-food sectors
Working in the region’s farming and agri-food sector gives you the opportunity to cultivate gorgeous, scenic landscapes along rolling hills and valleys. Coaticook’s agriculture is largely dominated by its flourishing dairy industry, which accounts for more than half of local gross agricultural revenues. Other key industries that contribute to the region’s flavours include agri-food processing, agri-tourism, and related production, along with cow and pig farming.
It comes as no surprise, then, that farming offers a host of employment opportunities for residents of the region. Interested individuals can join the ranks of 1,100 owners and shareholders of farm businesses by starting up their own farm or taking over an existing business, or can work on one of the 571 regional farms that are always looking for a reliable and qualified workforce. You can also work for one of the many businesses and organizations that offer products and services geared toward the farming sector. If you love and have a passion for farming, the Coaticook region is the place to go in order to join a dynamic network of farming enthusiasts.
Forestry sector
Future workers can also work in the region’s forestry sector, which, exceptionally, offers possibilities for year-round work. According to 2015 data from the Syndicat des producteurs forestiers du Sud du Québec, Coaticook is the region of Estrie that harvests the most wood, proportionally speaking, from its forests. A wood harvest of 400 to 600 m³ will generally sustain one forest- or factory-based job; the region’s 2016 wood harvest of 139,310 m3 generated nearly 300 jobs. Over 62% of the region is composed of various forests, which are owned by some 700 owners.
The Coatiook region’s forestry sector offers ongoing employment opportunities in both advisory services and forestry development.