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Beef industry update on COVID-19 impact

Apr 1, 2020 | 2:57 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. –– Alberta has deemed agriculture and related services as ‘Essential Services”, and the Federal government will continue to work with provincial and territorial counterparts, to ensure consistency across the country

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), is working to safeguard critical functions around food safety and ensuring food supply continues to be maintained.

Alberta Beef Producer’s Chair, Kelly Smith-Fraser, reports that after a brief disruption at the end of last week, Harmony Beef is back up and running.

The family-owned company, north of Calgary, halted production on March 27, after one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19 a day earlier.

The CFIA was informed by health officials that the employee tested positive for COVID-19 and worked directly with provincial health authorities and the establishment management to provide a safe and healthy workplace for its employees.

Harmony Beef made the decision to temporarily close the establishment and then resumed slaughter operations on March 31. There was no slaughter inspection provided on March 27 and 30 while the company worked with Alberta Health Services and the CFIA to safely resume slaughter as soon as possible.

Smith-Fraser says Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, continues to monitor the international food supply chain, with the U.S. as their current focus.

“Canada and its trading partners, have committed to support each other in the flow of goods and information sharing. Provincial and federal governments have announced a number of financial support programs, available to assist Canadians impacted by Covid-19.”

“Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) has compiled a document outlining the programs applicable to producers in Alberta, which you can find on the producer homepage of www.albertabeef.org.”

As of March 27, the limit on public gatherings in Alberta, has been reduced to 15 people and any business or organization not following the public health order will be subject to a fine.

However, Smith-Fraser says, “There’s no limit on the number of employees at an essential service work places, although they should implement best-practices, to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

“Alberta Beef Producers would like to thank the workers at the packing plants, grocery stores and truck drivers, for the important work that they do to maintain our food supply. We would also like to thank veterinarians, feed mills, supply stores and auction markets, for supplying essential services to our producers.”

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