Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

Agriculture

Federal government deems agriculture an essential service

Apr 3, 2020 | 1:16 PM

The federal government has deemed agriculture an essential service.

A post on the Facebook page of Foothills M.P. John Barlow says the federal government made the announcement Thursday after the Conservatives asked earlier in the week that agriculture be declared what he calls “critical infrastructure.”

He adds this would ensure “an uninterrupted and reliable food chain.”

The non-exhaustive essential services list on Public Safety Canada’s web site also includes those who work at producing animal feed, at packing plants, as truckers and labour needed to produce and harvest food.

It also includes those who work in veterinary health, workers who produce animal drugs and those who work to manufacture and maintain equipment.

The province had already declared farming and ranching, along with businesses that support the food supply chain, as essential services.