Haldimand and Norfolk County (along with the support of the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit) have announced a plan to assist the agricultural community and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 locally.
They explain that the plan should help keep farmworkers healthy, protect the local community, and keep the first link in the critical food supply chain strong.
Mayor Kristal Chopp, Chair of the Haldimand-Norfolk Board of Health, says that, with no organized approach from any other level of government, they are coming up with a plan to help local farmers continue to safely operate their farms.
The County’s release says that foreign workers will need to self-isolate for 14 days and each agricultural enterprise will need to detail their plan for self-isolation for newly-arrived migrant workers (while strictly enforcing it).
To help expedite the process, the County says they’re developing a program to help farmers with those requirements, including the option of possibly developing isolation facilities (similar to those used in Trenton, Ontario), which would need to be funded by local farmers.
Continuing, they add that their plan would also include the organization of a pool of local residents to help assist farm operations during the busy time of the season.
The County emphasizes that they have an obligation to the agricultural community, the rest of their residents, and the people of Ontario and Canada.
They say they believe that the self-isolation of migrant workers for two weeks is a small price to pay to ensure Canadians can continue to be fed.
Additional details on the plan will be made public in the coming days.