Government of Canada invests $1.9 million to further protect Manitoba farm workers during COVID-19

Nov 11, 2020

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) - The Government of Canada recognizes the critical role of the food supply chain and is committed to improving the safety of these workplaces.

Today, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that applications are now being accepted for Manitoba farmers under the Emergency On-Farm Support Fund. This $1.9 million investment will help farmers to better protect the health and safety of farm workers in Manitoba during the COVID-19 outbreak. Applications will be accepted starting November 10th.

Eligible activities include direct infrastructure improvements to living quarters and work stations, temporary or emergency housing (on or off-farm), as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitary stations, work stations and any other health and safety measures that safeguard the health and safety of Canadian and temporary foreign workers from COVID-19.

Contributions under the AAFC-managed program will be cost-shared 50:50 with the applicants up to $100,000. An additional 10 per cent will be provided to women, youth, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, and Persons with disabilities, amounting to a 60:40 split as the Government of Canada promotes and empowers underrepresented groups in the agricultural sector.

Source : Canada.ca

Video: LALEXPERT: Sclerotinia cycle and prophylactic methods

White rot, also known as sclerotinia, is a common agricultural fungal disease caused by various virulent species of Sclerotinia. It initially affects the root system (mycelium) before spreading to the aerial parts through the dissemination of spores.

Sclerotinia is undoubtedly a disease of major economic importance, and very damaging in the event of a heavy attack.

All these attacks come from the primary inoculum stored in the soil: sclerotia. These forms of resistance can survive in the soil for over 10 years, maintaining constant contamination of susceptible host crops, causing symptoms on the crop and replenishing the soil inoculum with new sclerotia.