The Canadian government has now listed agriculture as an essential service, acknowledging both the importance of the industry, as well as its place in the economy.
Adding to the extra $5 billion in accessible loans from Farm Credit Canada, the federal government has added producers to the list of businesses able to access the Canadian Emergency Business Account. “The idea is not to increase their debts,” Bibeau said. “But to help them have more flexibility managing their cash flow.” Southern Alberta farmer Brian Hildebrand hasn’t been feeling the pinch from the pandemic just yet, but he has noticed the changes. “I must give a hats off to a lot of my suppliers who are finding different ways of doing business that keep things going,” he said.