The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) hosted a virtual press conference Thursday, with speakers from the organization addressing the current challenges facing the farming and agri-food sector.
“There is a limited time to make a difference in government decisions and spread the word why Canadian Ag is a priority,” said Jody Mott, executive director of the Holland Marsh Growers Association.
The CFA argued that the domestic food supply needs to be the country’s biggest priority, after health care.
“We know people have many, many concerns. Worrying about access to healthy, nutritious food should not be one of them,” said CFA president Mary Robinson.
Robinson said the intention of the group is not to spark panic, but “it would be irresponsible not to sound the alarm farmers are facing," she said.
Robinson warned: “Agriculture is at a tipping point. If we don’t rise to the challenges immediately, Canadians could see a decrease in food supply and price increases in the months ahead."
“We have worked hard to keep up with record spikes in demand for food,” said Michael Graydon, CEO of Food and Consumer Products of Canada, “to help keep moving from farm to factory to store and ultimately to Canadians.”
Graydon explained that the food processing industry is deeply connected to Canada’s farming sector, and that the country relies on farmers as the first link in the food supply chain so necessary to keeping Canadians fed over the next few difficult months.
Some of the challenges farmers are facing in light of the pandemic include labour shortages and the increase in costs for farmers in order to maintain their production.
“Normally, spring is a time of optimism for famers, but this year they don’t have enough workers,” said Robinson.
While farmers applaud the government for helping them offset the cost of foreign workers coming to work on the farms, there are still some hiccups in the process that are preventing all required workers from coming into the country.
“Difficult decisions are being made right now whether to plant a crop, or leave them unplanted," Robinson said. "If planting goes ahead, will harvesting be possible?”
The second biggest concern is the increased cost of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Farmers now must invest in more personal protective equipment (PPE) for their workers, and are being forced to keep livestock for longer periods of time due to the reduction in processing capacity.
Robinson said farmers are feeling “increasingly stressed,” with some strongly considering halting farming operations altogether, "a tragedy Canada cannot afford."
The CFA is asking the federal government to set up an emergency fund to help farmers across the country ensure the food supply system is secure.
A proposal has also been sent, asking for help in getting more Canadians out to work in the farmers' fields for the season.
When asked how much money the federation is seeking, Robinson said it was difficult to forecast.
“With food, we are asking the government to treat it second only to health care,” she said.
“We need a clear commitment from the government for the 2020 planting season,” Robinson added. “We have to feed 36 million Canadians every day and we have to be in a position to keep doing that.”
Robinson said the federation is asking all Canadians to contact their local MPs to let them know how much they value their food supply, and to ask for support for the 200,000 farming families that help feed the country.
“Canadian agriculture is incredibly well poised. Investments in agriculture are going to put Canada in the right spot to recover," she said.
