By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative
Preventing the spread COVID-19 is critical to the food chain and tomato growers and processors aren’t taking any chances.
“There’s a whole new level of risk at the processing facilities,” says Ron VanDamme, a director with the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers.
“If we had to shut it down, it would result in lost crop,” the Wallaceburg-area vegetable grower says.
“You can get that back.”
Enhanced safety measures are in place at all of Southern Ontario’s tomato processing facilities, including Dresden’s Conagra.
“All of our tomato factories have COVID protocols for everyone involved, including the deliveries,” VanDamme says.
Masks, enhanced sanitizing, extra washrooms, enforced distancing and detailed screening are all part of the new normal at the canning factories.
“Everyone is doing the best they can,” he says.
“No one wants to take any chances.”
Increased paperwork and reporting are also part of the new rules, particularly in relation to temporary foreign workers, VanDamme says.
This includes an increase in safety protocols when workers leave the farm, which adds another layer to the administrative side of the business.
On a good note, VanDamme says farmers are looking at good yields for tomato harvest 2020.
In 2019, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture reports there were 7,115 acres of tomatoes planted in CK, valued at $49 million.
“The crop looks really good,” he adds. “We’re really optimistic.”
Chatham-Kent tomato growers also supply Highbury Canco; Sun-Brite Foods, Weil’s Food Processing; Harvest-Pac Products and Countryside Canners.
Canned tomato products, such as spaghetti sauces, are a North American food staple. At the start of the pandemic, inventory was reported to be depleted at some grocery stories, as people went into survival mode.
• The Thamesville Herald
