Toronto | Reuters — Ontario’s York Regional Police have charged seven people with trafficking and exploiting 64 Mexican migrants, saying the accused were part of an international labour trafficking ring operating in the Toronto region. Police in Ontario said on Friday they had obtained information in November that migrant men and women were being exploited […] Read more
Tag Archives farm labour — page 2
Ontario police charge seven with trafficking, exploiting migrants
Workers provided for farms and other sites, police say
U.S. to crack down on child labour amid massive uptick
Food processing plants among alleged offenders
Washington | Reuters — The Biden administration in the U.S. announced measures to crack down on child labour on Monday amid a steep rise in violations and investigative reports by Reuters and other news outlets on illegal employment of migrant minors in dangerous industries. U.S. officials said the Labor Department had seen a nearly 70 […] Read more
Suspect in California farm worker shootings appears in court
Early evidence suggests workplace grievance, authorities say
Redwood City, Calif. | Reuters — A California farm worker accused of shooting seven people to death near San Francisco, some of them his co-workers, made his first court appearance on Wednesday after he was charged with murder in the state’s second deadly gun rampage in recent days. Chunli Zhao, 66, the lone suspect in […] Read more
U.S. sheep herders’ suit alleges cartel-like wage suppression
Reuters –– Sheep herders in the U.S. West have banded together to sue their employers, accusing them of operating an illegal cartel that artificially suppresses their wages, according to court documents filed Wednesday in Nevada. The case could have implications for how antitrust laws are applied to labour markets, according to legal experts, as the […] Read more
Managing labour can be a harvest challenge
There are new resources for farmers seeking help
As the fall harvest season nears, farmers across Ontario are making sure equipment is ready for the fields and there are enough hands available before harvest is underway. Sourcing enough labour remains a challenge for many farmers and agribusinesses across Ontario. Why it matters: The need for more labour in agriculture is a long-term challenge […] Read more
New B.C. youth work rules: Heavy lifting, ag chem handling out
New standards also lift province's 'general working age' to 16
“Light farm and yard work” are deemed appropriate for workers at ages 14 and 15 under new employment standards taking effect in British Columbia this fall. The province on Wednesday announced changes to its Employment Standards Act, which have been through the development and consultation stages since 2019, have now been finalized and will take […] Read more
COVID-19 underscores the labour shortage impact
Study shows sector vulnerability to labour shocks like a pandemic
COVID-19 has pushed the already-dire labour shortage in agriculture into sharp relief, and the numbers aren’t promising for the future. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council’s (CAHRC) recent survey, Understanding the Effects of COVID-19 on Canada’s Agriculture Workforce, took the pulse of how COVID-19 has impacted agriculture. Why it matters: The pandemic has accelerated the […] Read more
New pilot program for agri-food labour welcomed
Meat processors, greenhouse and mushroom growers, livestock producers get first crack at program
Ottawa — Federal officials hope a new pilot program will help stabilize ongoing labour issues in certain sectors of the agri-food value chain, while also providing citizenship to some foreign workers. Critics, however, contend more support is needed. “This pilot will help to ensure that farmers and processors have the much-needed skills, experience and labour […] Read more
How COVID-19 is upending global food supply chains
Cows fed strawberries in India, watermelons rot in U.S., okra not reaching Canada
Satara/Singapore/London | Reuters — In the fertile Satara district in western India, farmers are putting their cattle on an unorthodox diet: Some feed iceberg lettuce to buffalo. Others feed strawberries to cows. It’s not a treat. They can either feed their crops to animals or let them spoil. And other farmers are doing just that […] Read more
Federal COVID-19 response for ag sector remains unclear
Imports of farm labour, crop inputs among concerns
Canada’s agriculture sector is waiting on details of a federal response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic as its concerns pile up. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has stated it understands “the importance of a stable labour force enabling Canadian food supply, and (is) committed to giving Canadians and businesses the support they need” but is not […] Read more
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