Ont. discusses vaccine plans for TFW

Mar 31, 2021

The province is working with the federal government to determine an effective way to vaccinate seasonal agricultural workers

By Jackie Clark
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The government of Ontario is exploring options for vaccinating temporary foreign workers against COVID-19.

Dr. Barbara Yaffe, the associate chief medical officer of health for Ontario, was recently quoted saying that if the federal government does not offer vaccination to workers upon arrival in Canada, the province likely will.

“Our government is in continued discussions with the federal government on the most effective way to provide vaccinations and the needed language and cultural supports for workers participating in the federal Seasonal Agricultural Worker program,” Christa Roettele, spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), told Farms.com. “We are exploring all options, including airport vaccinations, to ensure that temporary foreign workers have access to the vaccines.”

The second phase of vaccine rollout is “expected to begin April 2021, depending on availability of vaccines from the federal government,” she added. “Phase two includes people who live and work in congregate settings as well as workers who cannot work from home, including agriculture, farm and food processing workers. Public Health Units are responsible for administering vaccinations.”

Though OMAFRA looks forward to vaccines, it is still important to follow public health measures to prevent the continued spread of COVID-19 on farms and other agricultural workplaces, Roettele said.

OMAFRA and Workplace Safety and Prevention Services are “hosting a series of webinars on health and safety to help farmers and other agri-food operators better protect workers' health and safety and prevent COVID-19 outbreaks,” she added. “These webinars will help farmers and operators understand health and safety requirements and apply best practices in their operations.”

Farms.com reached out to the Ministry of Health who declined to comment.

SolStock\E+ photo

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.