COVID-19 could cause a shortage of temporary workers on farms this spring that may hinder the planting of crops across Canada.

U of G Prof. Evan Fraser, director of the Arrell Food Institute, said the pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in the country’s food system, including agriculture’s dependence on temporary foreign workers and the free flow of people across borders.

As the planting season quickly approaches, Fraser said farmers are going to need help getting the ground ready to plant. Not having temporary foreign workers will pose a real challenge to the produce sector, he added.

Fraser is the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security. He has expertise in food security under globalization and climate change, land use change and farmer behaviour.

Fraser was recently featured in Globe and Mail article discussing the topic.

He is available for media interviews.

 

Contact:
Prof. Evan Fraser
frasere@uoguelph.ca