Growers anxious about labour

While farm workers arriving in BC are exempt from new federal quarantine requirements until March 14, many growers remain concern about their access to labour during the 2021 growing season.

A poll of approximately 100 cherry growers who attended the annual general meeting of the BC Cherry Association last week indicated that concern is particularly high among fruit growers.

Approximately 95% of meeting participants are worried about access to labour this year, following challenges sourcing labour in 2020.

Several challenges last year remain in place at this point, with additional difficulties possible. While the government efforts have focused on participants in the agricultural stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker and Seasonal Agricultural Worker programs, international guest workers will be absent so long as travel restrictions remain in place.

In addition, the potential for a widespread reopening of businesses as vaccination against COVID-19 expands means there could be fewer domestic workers available to hire.

There is also the concern of new COVID-19 variants throwing a wrench into recovery plans, further complicating hiring.

A shortage in domestic workers already results in $216 million worth of lost sales to growers, according to the latest estimate from the Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council

According to the poll of cherry growers, 36% left fruit in the field last year due to labour issues and remain worried about finding labour in 2021. A further 59% of growers were able to get the help required last year, are concerned about their ability to do so in 2021.

Just 5% of growers are confident that new strategies they’ve adopted for the 2021 season will help them avoid the challenges of 2020.

With files from Myrna Stark Leader

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1 day ago

It was another sell-out at the 31st annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival on Saturday with organizers selling 5,000 pounds of locally-grown, fresh berries in less than five hours. Youth from the Fort Langley Lions Club's Young Lions program scooped, bagged and weighed several pallets' worth of cranberries. Ocean Spray donated the berries, which the public bought to benefit the community. Local grower The Bog was also selling fresh berries, having brought 2,700 pounds, which were on track to sell out by the end of the#BCAgt.

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6 days ago

There was a lot of reminiscing and appreciation of how far BC's turkey industry has come at a reception celebrating the 75th anniversary of the BC Turkey Association and the 60th anniversary of the BC Turkey Marketing Board yesterday in Abbotsford. With a slideshow of events and people over the years, guests laughed and had a lot to be thankful for. "It's an opportunity to celebrate the industry at a time of year that's known for turkey. It's a culmination of all the year's work," says Natalie Veles, executive director with BC Turkey Marketing Board.

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Love it - Deb Etsell I see you 🤩

7 days ago

BC was the sole province to see farmland values decline in the first half of this year, dropping 1.9% according to a Farm Credit Canada report released Octover 7. This represented an acceleration in value declines from last year, and contributed to a 3.9% decline in the 12 montsh ended June 30. The drop follows on a 1.7% decline last year, which Farm Credit Canada attributed to tougher times in the fruit sector. However, the mid-year report points to a broader slowdown in value growth diven by higher production costs, tighter margins and uncertainty around trade, tariffs and international markets.

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Ndp

3 weeks ago

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Photo | Barb Edmonson / Firefly Ranch, Clinton

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Feedback on changes to rules governing food processing in the Agricultural Land Reserve has drawn about 250 submissions. But the proposal now hangs in the balance with Premier David Eby's decision to call a snap election, which also delays discussions of assistance for farmers hit hard by this year's wildfires and historic #BCAght.

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What would you expect from the NDP, when they still had a 2 year mandate?

Ridiculous timing. We have people needing answers and have to plan for winter supplies. Fires are long past, months have gone by knowing there was going to be the need for support. Drought was written on the wall even before summer began with no snow pack. This is not new to government and they are calling for another year just as bad for 2027. I throw my hands up and wonder what else needs to be more challenging than what we've experienced over the last 6 years in BC?

250 submissions.... I'm pretty sure there are more than 250 farmers in BC