The global COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of how vitally important people are to producing the vegetables that we, as Canadians, enjoy.
Our greenhouse growers have taken tremendous pride in being a part of a food system that has provided Canadians with a consistent supply of fresh, affordable, and accessible food, even throughout the pandemic. But it hasn’t been easy.
For example, Leamington, ON-based greenhouse grower Nature Fresh Farms recently shared their first-hand experience with a COVID-19 outbreak and the impact on their employees. Their experience was documented in the film The Hardest Harvest, which shows the distressing and emotional times their employees faced, and the impact that a serious disruption can mean for our food system and ultimately for ourselves, as consumers.
At the non-profit organization Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG), our greenhouse growers have made significant investments to purchase personal protective equipment to support the health and well-being of their employees, both on-farm and in the rural communities where they live. This is in addition to collaborating with government, local health agencies, and agri-food partners to do whatever is necessary to protect employees and mitigate against further exposure and outbreaks.
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