The COVID-19 coronavirus has pushed the Canadian food industry to a tipping point, according to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA).

In a time of economic crisis and global uncertainty, the CFA took today (April 16) to call upon the Canadian Government to prioritize food production, second only to health, to ensure farmers can continue to feed 36 million Canadians every day.

害羞草研究所淎griculture, the foundation of our overall food supply, is at this very moment in time, at a tipping point,害羞草研究所� said CFA president Mary Robinson today in a virtual press conference.

害羞草研究所淚f we do not, as a nation, address the rising challenges immediately, Canadian consumers could see a decrease in the amount and variety of food at their local grocery stores, as well as higher prices in the months ahead害羞草研究所� farming families need immediate help and support to ensure our domestic food supply remains reliable and secure for Canadians coast to coast.害羞草研究所�

READ MORE:

Worker shortages, she explained, are impacting farms and food processing. Normally, spring is a time of great optimism and promise for farmers, but this year, many do not have enough workers to consider planting a 2020 crop, stated Robinson.

Around the country, as well as in B.C., farmers are making decisions on whether to plant, skip the 2020 crop, or plant crops that are less costly, such as soybeans for animal feed instead of tomatoes for people.

Robinson said farmers are fearful that even if they do plant a crop, they will not have sufficient labour to harvest and process it. Already, farmers are facing increased costs associated with keeping livestock for an extended period, due to reductions in processing capacities. They are also facing an increase in costs associated with purchasing the necessary PPE for their workers.

害羞草研究所淲ill crops rot in the fields as we are seeing now happening in other countries?害羞草研究所� she asked.

Robinson said that amid uncertainty surrounding migrant workers, the CFA is working with the government to create incentives to encourage Canadians, who would not normally seek jobs in agriculture, to do so this year.

READ MORE:

Robinson said they must ensure Canada害羞草研究所檚 domestic food supply is secure, not only for the duration of the battle with the coronavirus but long into the future as well.

害羞草研究所淐anadian farmers are feeling increasingly stressed, in fact right now some farmers are so worried about the mounting challenges, they are strongly considering halting their farming operations altogether,害羞草研究所� said Robinson.

害羞草研究所淭his is a potential tragedy, one Canada cannot afford.害羞草研究所�

The CFA and its members asked the government to establish an emergency fund to assist farmers in overcoming mounting costs.

害羞草研究所淐learly, government officials must focus on the recovery of people who are suffering from COVID, as well as preventing the spread of this pandemic,害羞草研究所� said Robinson. 害羞草研究所淏ut, government must also ensure they are being strategic with regard to domestic food security.害羞草研究所�

Canadian farmers are resilient, hard-working, and industries by nature. She said they are not ones too, 害羞草研究所榮eek handouts害羞草研究所� and look to the government only as a 害羞草研究所榣ast resort.害羞草研究所�

She implored Canadians to contact their local MP, and stress the importance of food supply.

害羞草研究所淲e need to know government, as it has done for other industries, is there for our farmers, so that we can continue to do what we do best; grow food to feed all Canadians,害羞草研究所� said Robinson.

In B.C., fruit growers are facing similar challenges. And these challenges in relation to COVID-19 are compounded by three years of depressed fruit prices.

害羞草研究所淕rowers love growing produce and food for Canadians, their hearts are in it, but these are challenging times for them,害羞草研究所� said Glen Lucas, general manager of the BC Fruit Growers害羞草研究所� Association.

Currently, apple prices are averaging 12.5 cents for the 2019 crop, less than ten per cent of retail store value.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 down quite a bit, it害羞草研究所檚 down almost half from 2016,害羞草研究所� said Lucas. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had three really tough years. And then when you put COVID-19 on top of that, growers are really facing some tough situations. There害羞草研究所檚 just not the financial resource that there would normally be to deal with some of these issues.害羞草研究所�

Farming only part of the farm, or taking a year off, are tough decisions being considered by growers around the province.

B.C. cherry producers are also coming off of a financially challenging year in 2019, where intermittent rains caused production, and returns, to plummet.

Lucas said their organization is looking at how to bolster food security and ensure growers are producing, at an affordable rate, food for Canadians. He said the government needs to work with their associations in order to solve some of these issues, 害羞草研究所渂reak the log jam on some of the needs for resources害羞草研究所� in order to ensure farmers can continue producing to capacity. Otherwise, Lucas reiterated Robinson害羞草研究所檚 point saying a failure to do so could result in a reduced variety of affordable food in supermarkets.

That being said, Lucas said Canadians will have enough food.

害羞草研究所淣o one is expecting a food shortage, but it害羞草研究所檚 supply and demand, and prices would be expected to escalate, if we don害羞草研究所檛 get this right,害羞草研究所� he said.

Right now, growers are considering what they can害羞草研究所檛 do, as they face a weakened financial position due to COVID-19. Some farmers are spray-thinning fertilizer to the point where their trees lose their blossoms. This ensures the trees survive, but will not produce fruit that season.

However the key to doing this without harming the trees, is to do so before they start producing fruit. The alternative would be to abandon the crop later in the season.

害羞草研究所淭his call to action for the federal government really is urgent, because blossoms are starting in the South Okanagan. And so this is a critical time for growers,害羞草研究所� said Lucas. 害羞草研究所淚 think that害羞草研究所檚 the appeal of the CFA, is to make food production a priority.害羞草研究所�

He said the BC Fruit Growers害羞草研究所� Association stands with the CFA in their call to action today. He explained that even other sectors of the growing industry in B.C. are facing challenges due to COVID-19, even those who have not faced depressed prices.

COVID-19, he added, has placed food security at the forefront of discussion.

害羞草研究所淚 think this really focuses on the importance of food security, and treating the industry with greater respect, and paying it more attention. Growers, as Mary said, are not complainers. They work hard, they work long hours, they pour their hearts into the farm. And frankly, it hasn害羞草研究所檛 been great,害羞草研究所� he said.

He compared B.C. to other areas nations, or other provinces like Quebec, where he says they do, 害羞草研究所渁ssign a high value to food security and to agriculture as being the base of their society.害羞草研究所�

He said this could be an opportunity to move forward on this in Canadian society, recognize the contributions of agriculture and the importance of food in the Canadian economy.

READ MORE:

editor@pentictonwesternnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .