Fertilizer Canada, noting that the United States has declared parts of its fertilizer industry an essential service, is asking the Canadian government to declare the entire supply chain an essential service.
It also asked that workers who require training to retain certification be granted extensions while the emergency lasts.
"The next two months are critical, both for the Canadian response to the COVID-19 pandemic but also to our farmer customers who are already beginning preparations for the spring planting season," said Garth Whyte, president and chief executive officer of Fertilizer Canada.
"The federal government must maintain our national food supply chains and, mirror the actions in the United States of America, draft a list of essential critical infrastructure workers that could be used by federal departments and provincial and territorial governments to make decisions," he said.
