As Ontario continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, one area of concern continues to be local farms, and the workers in the fields — particularly migrant workers.
Outbreaks have been an ongoing issue across southwestern Ontario as the province tries to ramp up testing and institute safety measures to keep agricultural workers safe. But while political and health officials work to contain the spread, there are measures that individual farmers can take to ensure their farms are clean and safe places to work.
“This is a good reminder for our farmers to continue to think about biosecurity and added layers of protection in implementing infection protection measures to protect their team,” says Dr. Lucas Pantaleon, technical veterinary advisor with Ogena Solutions. “But cleaning a farm isn’t the same as cleaning a factory, school or even a home. Farms are the source of our food, and cleaning in an agricultural setting has to ensure it is safe for people, livestock and crops and won't damage sensitive equipment.”
Ogena Solutions specializes in biosecurity in animal shelters, veterinary settings and farms.
When managing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Pantaleon offers farmers the following advice:
“If we all wear masks along with good hygiene and social distance, we can do a lot to limit and prevent this disease from growing even bigger,” says Dr. Pantaleon