Geneva | Reuters — World Trade Organization members were at odds on Friday over a proposal that would ban countries from restricting food aid deliveries, potentially complicating the response to a feared COVID-fuelled humanitarian catastrophe next year. The proposal was one of two related to the pandemic that failed to make headway at a three-day […] Read more
Tag Archives COVID-19 — page 26
Ban on food aid restrictions blocked at WTO
WTO says outcome 'disappointing' in difficult year
Guelph beef plant idled against COVID-19 outbreak
Cattle set-aside plan en route, BFO says
Agrifood giant Cargill is temporarily halting production at its beef processing plant at Guelph, Ont. in the wake of a significant COVID-19 outbreak among employees. The company announced it would “begin the process to temporarily idle” the Dunlop Drive plant effective Thursday (Dec. 17). “This was a difficult decision for our team who are operating […] Read more
Opinion: Resiliency is a great idea, until you have to pay for it
There are improvements that can be made in agriculture systems, but they include costs
Glacier FarmMedia – Other than “unprecedented,” the term “resiliency” has been the biggest buzzword of the pandemic — at least in agriculture. I doubt I’ve taken part in a webinar, Zoom call or online press conference since March without the term being used prominently and repeatedly. Resiliency is a hot concept right now, but what […] Read more
Guelph Cargill plant shuts down temporarily
BFO looks for cattle support program to be triggered soon
Beef Farmers of Ontario is calling for the activation of the Ontario Beef Cattle Set-Aside Program with the temporary closure of Cargill’s Guelph beef processing plant. The Cargill Meat Solutions plant will be closed after its processing run Dec. 17, and idled indefinitely, with monitoring day to day for re-opening. There are 57 cases of […] Read more
Stranded foreign workers get reprieve
They can now apply for an open work permit to find work and keep social programs
Marlon Gay is breathing a little easier today than he was at the beginning of the week. The Trinidadian working on a farm in Canada received word Dec. 13 he could apply for an open work permit which would ensure he maintained his health and Employment Insurance. Why it matters: The work visas of temporary […] Read more
Tyson fires seven managers after probe into COVID-19 wagering
Employees had been suspended following lawsuit
Reuters — Tyson Foods said Wednesday it had fired seven managers at an Iowa pork plant after investigating allegations that they took bets on how many employees would catch COVID-19. The independent investigation, led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, came in response to a lawsuit filed by the son of a worker at […] Read more
Foreign workers could lose visa status
Stranded Trinidad and Tobago workers looking for direction from their government
Dec. 15. To some, it may mark 10 days until Christmas, for hundreds of stranded Trinidad and Tobago workers, it’s doomsday, of sorts. The razor-thin edge between the end of their work permits, which expire on that date – along with their employment insurance (EI) and health benefits and legal residency – is cutting deeper […] Read more
Editorial: 2020’s losses and gains
I’m not big on end of year summaries, but with 2020 a year whose end will be celebrated (albeit not with crowds of people), it’s worth looking at what we’ve learned, what we’ve lost and what we’ve gained. This will be a year that historians and average people will look back on for the next […] Read more
COVID outbreak shuts Nova Scotia poultry plant
Province closes Eden Valley for at least two weeks
Provincial officials have temporarily shut a chicken and turkey slaughter and processing plant in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, citing recent cases of COVID-19 among employees. Eden Valley Poultry’s processing plant at Berwick will be closed “for at least two weeks,” the provincial health department said in a release Friday. “We know this will be a […] Read more
Poll says Canadians support path to residency for foreign workers
Close to 80 per cent had a positive response to the idea of permanent residency for foreign workers
A survey commissioned by two Canadian senators says that more than eight in 10 Canadians would support or somewhat support providing a way for temporary migrant workers to remain in Canada. The poll was conducted by Nanos Research and was commissioned by Senator Rob Black, an Ontario senator with close ties to agriculture, and Senator […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
