Ottawa earmarks $77-million to protect workers as part of agricultural aid package

A union representative greets workers returning to the Cargill beef processing plant in High River, Alta., on May 4, 2020.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday announced $77-million in funding to help food-processors outfit their workers with personal protective equipment and adapt their plants to allow for proper physical distancing.

The $77-million is part of a wider $252-million package announced Tuesday, which includes support for hog and cattle producers who face rising labour and operational costs associated with keeping their animals on the farm longer due to decreased processing capacity.into the Cargill outbreak revealed that as the virus spread among workers, the company did not widely distribute face masks.

The Syndicat Agriculture Union, which represents federal inspectors at food-processing plants, said the $77-million announcement “misses the mark.” The union questions whether the money will actually translate into better-equipped slaughterhouse staff and said it will not solve problems associated with cramped locker rooms and hallways.

Producers are facing a multitude of challenges – from shifts in product demand caused by the closure of restaurants, to increased labour costs and supply chain disruptions as processing plants close or reduce capacity. The federation warned that losses would only continue to mount. The funding includes a $125-million national AgriRecovery initiative to support hog and cattle producers who are hanging onto animals because of reduced processing capacity at plants hit by outbreaks. “For many farmers, this crisis means that they have to keep animals for longer periods of time, and that can be expensive,” Mr. Trudeau said.

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