Rising grocery prices have made headlines across the country this summer as businesses seek to recover costs related to COVID-19. Between higher labour costs, additional expenses such as personal protective equipment and COVID-19 surcharges, consumers are paying more for food. But statistics Canada data for the first six months of year show that celery and …
covid-19
Pandemic-related stress increases
AgSafe BC safety advisor Emily Kerr was a featured presenter at Virtual Grower Day, organized by Greenhouse Canada on August 12. The live annual professional development and networking event had been scheduled to take place in Abbotsford, its first time in BC, but it was moved online in response to COVID-19. With five months of …
Pandemic puts the squeeze on blueberry growers
by SARBMEET SINGH ABBOTSFORD – BC blueberry growers face tighter profit margins this year due to COVID-19. Public health protocols have created additional costs including the need for personal protective equipment for workers’ safety and a hike in labour costs. Meanwhile, fewer workers in the fields mean fruit could over-ripen, reducing quality and prices. “We …
Stand offers berries to go
Drive-thru lanes are a familiar sight at fast-food joints, but can you imagine drive-thru farm stands? They’ve become a popular option for farms trying to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 this year. Eagle Acres in Langley and Maan Farms in Abbotsford offered drive-through options for on-farm events this spring. This summer, Blueberry Junction in …
Blueberry plant faces COVID-19
At least 15 workers were infected with COVID-19 at Fraser Valley Packers Inc., a blueberry packing plant in Abbotsford, health officials announced on Monday. The plant is located at Short Road in Abbotsford. The investigation into the outbreak started on July 23. Teams from the Fraser Health Authority are working with the plant doing ongoing …
Pandemic highlights SAWP improvements
British Columbia’s response to COVID-19 has set an example for other provinces in managing seasonal farm workers this year, but Mexico’s consul-general in Vancouver says an overhaul of the program remains necessary. “British Columbia has done exceptional things,” Berenice Díaz Ceballos told Country Life in BC, singling out the province’s decision to fund housing and …