Ontario Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman has written an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pleading for more help for farmers.
He notes that livestock farmers face insufficient slaughter capacity at packing plants, flower growers had to dump their flowers, fruit and vegetable growers haven’t had enough labour to plant all they want and grain farmers face wild market-price fluctuations.
“It is clear that current support levels for our farmers are not sufficient to ensure food security for the broader public,” he wrote in the letter to Trudeau, assistant Chrystia Freeland and three other cabinet ministers.
“The agriculture sector needs additional government,” he wrote, adding that they need it now.
He also asked for more support to deal with migrant workers, including federal housing to meet quarantine standards and full briefings so they understand COVID-19 precautions and working conditions.
Hardeman said all provinces and territories agree that more federal money is needed for business risk management programs.
