"I am deeply disturbed by the accounts of exploitation and abuse shared with me by migrant workers," said Obokata, in comments posted to the UN's official news website.
"Employer-specific work permit regimes, including certain Temporary Foreign Worker programs, make migrant workers vulnerable to contemporary forms of slavery, as they cannot report abuses without fear of deportation."
Obokata, a Japanese scholar on human rights and international law, called on the federal government to safeguard workers' rights.
Bill George, chair of the OFVGA's labour section, said there is always room for adjustment but said Obokata's remarks were based on misinformation. He also objected to the comparison to slavery.
"Seasonal and temporary foreign workers are an essential part of local fruit and vegetable production in Ontario, and we do not support employers who mistreat or otherwise take advantage of people in their employ," said George.
"We recognize there is always more that can be done to ensure all workers have the opportunity for a positive and safe working experience while they are here, but assigning hateful and broad labels to all the hardworking farmers and their employees in the program is not the solution."
George added that growers who employ temporary foreign workers provide the same benefits as Canadian-born workers, such as competitive wages, access to healthcare through OHIP, federal employment insurance (EI), and others.
But Obokata said temporary foreign workers and Canadian farm workers are exempted from some federal and provincial regulations and protections.
The OFVGA said growers are required by law to provide workers with a copy of their rights and responsibilities, and farms are subject to frequent federal and provincial inspections.
