MEMBRES

Agriculture Is An Essential Service

This document can be used to help agrologists justify that their work and work related travel is an essential service.

Statement from the province of New Brunswick

Sectors within the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries are food production, which is an essential service and therefore not required to cease operation under the State of Emergency Order. Employees of this essential sector as well as businesses that support the food supply chain would be exempt from interprovincial border restrictions to ensure services are maintained and critical supplies can continue to move across provincial boundaries as necessary. All businesses are expected to reduce in-person sales activities and apply all social distancing and hygiene recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. All owners and managers of all workplaces will reduce to critical functions and will take every reasonable step required to prevent persons who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 from entering the workplace, in accordance with advice issued by the Chief Medical Officer of Health or WorkSafe New Brunswick.

Statement from the Government of Canada

Minister Blair (Public Safety Canada)  released the Guidance on Essential Services and Functions in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic here: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/crtcl-nfrstrctr/esf-sfe-en.aspx

Within this document, specific reference to agriculture and food as essential are below.

 Food

• Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies and other outlets that sells food and beverage products
• Restaurant employees necessary to support take-out and food delivery operations
• Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees—to include those employed in food processing (packers, meat processing, fish processing, cheese plants, milk plants, produce, etc.) facilities; livestock, poultry, fish and seafood, slaughter facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food facilities producing by-products for animal food; beverage production facilities; and the production of food packaging
• Workers including those employed in animal food, feed, by-product and ingredient production, processing, packaging, and distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport; farm and fishery labor needed to harvest and produce our food supply domestically
• Agriculture and aquaculture workers and support service workers including those who field crops; those responsible for fuel ethanol facilities, storage facilities, and other agricultural inputs
• Workers undertaking traditional harvesting activities, including fishing, hunting and agricultural activities
• Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage distribution, including warehouse workers, vendor-managed inventory controllers
• Workers supporting the sanitation of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to retail
• Company in-house cafeterias used to feed employees
• Workers in food testing labs
• Employees of companies engaged in the production of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids
• Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health; manufacturing and distribution of animal medical materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients, feed, and bedding, etc.; transportation of live animals, animal medical materials; transportation of deceased animals for disposal; raising of animals for food; animal production operations; slaughter and packing plants and associated regulatory and government workforce, including provincial, territorial and federal inspectors
• Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural, aquaculture, and fishery production and distribution