Farmers are getting support from the governments of Canada and Ontario.
The two governments say they are enhancing AgriInsurance coverage for the 2020 growing season to include labour shortages due to COVID-19.
Ontario’s agriculture industry, specifically farms growing fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, melons and peaches, are labour intensive and highly dependent on seasonal agricultural workers and officials say COVID-19 has interrupted regular flows of worker travel and has resulted in some gaps in labour availability.
They say this could result in some crops being unharvested and financial loss for the agri-food industry.
Ontario farmers already enrolled in an eligible production insurance plan who suffer from crop losses due to labour disruptions during the 2020 growing season will have access to further insurance coverage through Agricorp with the added insurance coverage including inability to attract sufficient on-farm labour due to COVID-19; and illness or quarantine of on-farm labour and the producer due to COVID-19.
Farmers will be expected to notify Agricorp as soon as possible if they experience COVID-19 related labour disruptions that are having an impact on their crops.
