Understanding the impact and mitigation strategies of the COVID‑19 outbreak on the agricultural sector in Northeastern Ontario
The federal and provincial governments have listed agriculture and food production as essential businesses and
services during the COVID‑19 pandemic. This includes businesses that produce food and beverages, and
agricultural products from farming, harvesting, aquaculture, hunting and fishing. In Northeastern Ontario, the
COVID‑19 pandemic has resulted in heightened consumer demand for fresh, high quality, nutrient dense, safe
food, with a marked public interest for locally grown and produced foods. However, meeting this demand is
proving difficult and revealing weaknesses in the food systems. Agri-businesses face numerous challenges due
to the pandemic including labour shortages, supply chain disruptions, insufficient infrastructure for storage, and
limited retail marketplaces such as farmers markets that are currently suspended due to physical distancing
concerns. Despite these challenges, many agri-businesses are finding innovative ways to facilitate consumer
access to their products, and in some cases even expand their markets. Some of these strategies include
leveraging social media, enhancing local food initiatives, and launching online stores and e-platforms. The
objective of this applied research collaboration between Collège Boréal, The Rural Agri-Innovation Network
(RAIN herein) and reThink Green is to rapidly identify the emerging needs of Northeastern Ontario
agri-businesses so that each organization can quickly position their respective services and interventions
(academic, research, advocacy, community initiatives, marketing and business development) to 1) enhance
supports for production, distribution, and marketing activities during the pandemic; and 2) provide
evidence-informed recommendations and business strategies for agri-businesses and policy-makers to ensure
economic stability and food security in the post-pandemic period.
