Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) welcomes the announcement made by the federal and provincial governments that they will invest $2.25 million to provincially licensed meat processing plants to protect employees and ensure a continued supply of products to consumers.
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Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, with Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Ernie Hardeman and Ontario Minister of Labour, Monte McNaughton announced May 8 that $2.25 million on funding will be distributed through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. The funding will provide support for provincially licensed meat plants to implement COVID-19 health and safety measures including personal protective equipment, redesigning workstations, employee support and work-site mobility and transportation. The application process will open on May 12, 2020 through the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the approval process will be expedited.
Ontario’s 500+ Provincial Meat Plants have been instrumental in insuring continued supply of meat and poultry to consumers. This funding comes at ideal time to help plants increase their processes to protect their staff and the supply of food for Ontarians.
“Every dollar invested in preventative care of our essential workers is investing in sustainable supply of food for all Ontarians.” says MPO Executive Director, Franco Naccarato.
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“Meat processing employees are essential to Ontario’s food supply, and their safety is a top priority for us. This funding will help processors continue to make improvements that will ensure the safety of their teams throughout the pandemic and beyond.” says MPO President, Carole Goriup.
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MPO commends the federal and provincial governments for prioritizing the health and safety of essential agri-food workers and ensuring Ontario's food supply chain remains strong during the pandemic.
Source : Meat & Poultry Ontario