COVID-19: Resources for the agri-food industry

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is working closely with stakeholders and other partners to support the safety of Ontario's farmers, agri-food workers and Ontario's food supply during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Register for a virtual health and safety webinar delivered in collaboration with Workplaces Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS). Sessions are offered in March and April for farmers and agri-food businesses looking for information on how to protect workers' wellbeing and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.

Funding

• The Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program Intake opens on April 22, 2021 for the new, $10 million Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program to help more farmers and agri-food operators purchase personal protective equipment, enhance cleaning and disinfection and redesign workstations to better protect workers.
  • Farms and agri-food businesses that hire three or more employees will be eligible for funding.
  • Additional businesses and workers are eligible including corn detasselers, transporters, hatcheries, and primary processing.
  • Detailed program information and application forms will be available on April 22.
• Canadian Agricultural Partnership: offers cost-share funding to support farmer, processor, other businesses, sector organizations and strategic partnerships. Funding offered through the program is subject to change based on the timing of application intakes and the availability of funds.
• Provincial and Federal COVID-19 Financial Supports for Farmers: summary of federal and provincial support programs for Ontario's Producers. The information is current as of the publication date; however, it may be subject to frequent changes.

Prevention, Control and Best Practices

• COVID-19 Vaccine Resources:
  • Province of Ontario:
    • Ontario's COVID-19 vaccination plan
    • Ministry of Health: Guidance for prioritization of Phase 2 populations for COVID-19 vaccination
    • COVID-19 Communications Resources (available in many languages)
  • Government of Canada: What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine for Canada (available in many languages)
  • Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association: Resources for Agricultural Workers
    • Vaccine Resources (available in English, Spanish and Thai)
• Rapid Antigen Screening: The Ontario government is encouraging the use of rapid antigen point-of-care testing as an enhanced screening tool for asymptomatic employees, that will allow employers to add an additional safety measure to their workplaces, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
  Ontario's rapid antigen point-of-care tests are available for agri-food businesses, including primary agricultural production, food and beverage processing and key distribution centres. Agri-food employers who are interested in participating can contact omafra.labour@ontario.ca.
  • COVID-19 Guidance: Considerations for Rapid Antigen Point-of-Care Screening (gov.on.ca)
• The Farmer COVID-19 Toolkit is a "one stop shop" for farmers working to stop the spread on farms. It contains guidance, resources and information related to prevention, control, testing and outbreak management supports.
• Ontario's Prevention, Control and Outbreak Support Strategy for COVID-19 in Ontario's Farm Workers: This strategy, developed by the joint industry-government Sector Leadership Group, contains 35 recommended actions to be taken by government, industry, farmers and farm workers to prevent and contain COVID-19 outbreaks on farms.
  • The Modular/Temporary Housing Guide, developed with the Housing Working Group, provides guidance on temporary housing solutions for employers who provide accommodation for their workers, and a directory of companies able to provide such housing.
• Information Links for Managing Human Resources COVID-19 Response: to help farm and agri-food businesses understand changes related to managing staff on their operation. The information is current as of the publication date; however, it may be subject to frequent changes.

Government Partners

• Agriculture & Agri-food Canada (AAFC)
• Ministry of Labour, Training & Skills Development (MLTSD):
  • Develop your COVID-19 workplace safety plan
  • Agriculture
  • Food Processing
• Ministry of Health: COVID-19 Guidance - On-Farm Outbreak Management

For questions on workplace infection prevention and control related to COVID-19 infections, employers can contact local public health units.

Industry Partner Resources

• Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association | COVID-19 Health and Safety Resources (ofvga.org)
  • COVID-19 Resource Library for International Agricultural Workers and Employers: comprehensive list of COVID-19 resources to support international agricultural workers and employers in Ontario during the pandemic. Many resources in the library are available in English, Spanish, and Thai.
• Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) COVID-19 Hub: contains critical information, resources, and updates to help employers ensure the safety of their workers during this time. WSPS is committed to protecting Ontario agriculture workers and businesses.
  • Sample COVID-19 Farm Safety Plan
• Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) COVID-19 page contains up-to-date information plus:
  • Information for foreign agricultural workers and their employers available in English, French and Spanish
  • Health and Safety Excellence Program provides businesses with material to help meet the challenges of operating safely during a pandemic
• Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) and Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety provide COVID-19 safety guidance and resources for agricultural temporary foreign workers.

Sector Specific COVID-19 Resources

• Beef
• Dairy
• Swine
• Sheep
• Poultry