The American ag secretary Sonny Perdue has announced $2.7 billion to the fruit and vegetable industry to help mitigate losses from the COVID-19 emergency. Of that total, $100 million per month for the next six months are earmarked for a “Buy Fresh” program for food banks and school curbside pickup.

The Ontario Pesticide Education Program cancelled all classroom safety courses due to COVID-19 concerns in mid-March. The Ontario environment ministry has extended the expiration date to end of the year for more than 1,400 Ontario growers and vendors.

Pyganic crop protection insecticide controls several insect pests of low-growing berries such as lowbush blueberries.

The outcome of this industry crisis is not yet known, writes columnist Gordon Stock. “What I do know is that there continues to be a full court press to enable the travel of workers into Canada to secure a supply of fresh produce for the grocery shelves this coming season.”

A fresh produce virtual platform will replace the in-person event slated for mid-June in San Diego. United Fresh LIVE! Will debut the week of June 15, 2020.

Kam Chiu Lee, co-founder of Vancouver-based Fresh Direct Produce, has passed due to cancer.

The Produce Marketing Association, based in Newark, Delaware, convened members from 21 countries to discuss the industry’s response to COVID-19. The virtual town hall revealed that bananas, potatoes, carrots and onions are in the highest demand.

The provincial minor use coordinators are gathering input from their stakeholders about critical priorities for pathology, entomology and weed science.

Seasonal agricultural workers such as Jamaican Willy Green are crucial to the 2020 growing season. The federal government is providing exemptions to the travel ban however logistics are still to be announced.

Working with many ag leaders across the country, the Ottawa-based president of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association has been stick handling myriad issues.