Agriculture and California's vaccination priority/roll out list

[mcfarms]

Healthcare workers and long-term care residents (Phase 1A)

Now vaccinating

People with a high chance of exposure and those 65 or older (Phase 1B)

Sector populations with high chance of exposure:

Agriculture and food
Education and childcare
Emergency services
Now vaccinating

Individuals age 16 or older at higher risk

People with certain significant high-risk:

Medical conditions
Disabilities
Illnesses
Living spaces
Work environments
Now vaccinating

Individuals 50 or older

Starts April 1, 2021

Every Californian 16 or older

Vaccination of people younger than 16 will start as soon as the COVID-19 vaccines are approved for them

Starts April 15, 2021



Who comprises the Food and Agriculture sector in California


The Food and Agricultural (FA) Sector is composed of complex production, processing, and delivery systems and has the capacity to feed people and animals both within and beyond the boundaries of the United States. Beyond domestic food production, the FA Sector also imports many ingredients and finished products, leading to a complex web of growers, processors, suppliers, transporters, distributors, and consumers. This sector is critical to maintaining and securing our food supply.

Essential workforce, if remote working is not practical:

Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies, convenience stores, and other retail that sells food or beverage products, and animal/pet food, retail customer support service, information technology support staff, for online orders, pickup/takeout or delivery.
Workers supporting restaurant carry-out and quick serve food operations, including food preparation, carry-out and delivery food employees.
Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees to include those employed in food ingredient production and processing facilities; aquaculture and seafood harvesting facilities; livestock, poultry, seafood slaughter facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food facilities producing by-products for animal food; beverage production facilities; and the production of food packaging, including recycling operations and processing.
Farmers, farm and ranch workers, and agribusiness support services to include those employed in auction and sales; grain and oilseed handling, storage, processing and distribution; animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging, and distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport.
Farmers, farm and ranch workers, support service workers and their supplier employees producing food supply domestically and for export to include those engaged in raising, cultivating, harvesting, packing, storing, or delivering to storage or to market or to a carrier for transportation to market any agricultural or horticultural commodity for human consumption; those engaged in producing and harvesting field crops; cannabis growers; agricultural and commodity inspection; fuel ethanol facilities; storage facilities; biodiesel and renewable diesel facilities; and other agricultural inputs
Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage distribution and ingredients used in these products including warehouse workers, vendor-managed inventory controllers, and blockchain managers.
Workers supporting the sanitation of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to retail.
Workers supporting the growth and distribution of plants and associated products for home gardens.
Workers in cafeterias used to feed workers, particularly worker populations sheltered against COVID-19
Workers in animal diagnostic and food testing laboratories
Workers essential for assistance programs and government payments
Government, private, and non-governmental organizations’ workers essential for food assistance programs (including school lunch programs) and government payments.
Employees of companies engaged in the production, storage, transport, and distribution of chemicals; medicines, including cannabis; vaccines; and other substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including seeds, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids.
Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health (including those involved in supporting emergency veterinary or livestock services); raising of animals for food; animal production operations; livestock markets; slaughter and packing plants, manufacturers, renderers, and associated regulatory and government workforce.
Transportation supporting animal agricultural industries, including movement of animal medical and reproductive supplies and material, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients, feed, and bedding, live animals, animal medical materials; transportation of deceased animals for disposal; and associated regulatory and government workforce
Workers who support sawmills and the manufacture and distribution of fiber and forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other wood and fiber products
Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural production and distribution
Workers at animal care facilities that provide food, shelter, veterinary and/or routine care and other necessities of life for animals.





At least somebody out there understands or appreciates the value of the agriculture sector and its workers, not so in Canada.

[poorboy]

Agriculture is the largest contributor to Californias economy. Ahead of tech and hollywood. A surprising statistic.

[dmlfarmer]

Much different type of agriculture there than the broad acre crops of the prairies too. Much more labor intensive, lots of migrant workers. There planting and harvesting crops is more comparable to our meat packing plants than our grain farms and they still have the processing/packing and shipping those crops which is also labor intensive compared to dumping of a farm truck over a pit.

[mcfarms]

Much different type of agriculture there than the broad acre crops of the prairies too. Much more labor intensive, lots of migrant workers. There planting and harvesting crops is more comparable to our meat packing plants than our grain farms and they still have the processing/packing and shipping those crops which is also labor intensive compared to dumping of a farm truck over a pit.

Maybe travel through Canada some time and learn a little more about the industry you'd be shocked over the diversity and types of Agriculture we have and the varying labor needs they have , Niagara peninsula, bc interior, Annapolis valley . PEI Potatoes, South eastern Alberta has many various types all requiring high labor concentrations there's a big cluster of vegetable production around Innisfail.
Not to mention the rest of the food chain as mentioned in the article they were not just referencing primary production.

[dalek]

They’re also going to be vaccinating zoo animals in California before most Canadians get a chance

[shtferbrains]

California has about 1/2 as many cattle as all of Canada and some very desirable looking ranch land if you see it in the spring when it's green and lush.
Some large acreages like the Hearst Ranch that go back to Spanish Concessions.
Were broad acres of wheat but mostly huge Almond fields now.
Produce about $50 billion in ag sales. More than 2x any outher state.
If you like touring aroud looking at Agriculture there is a bit of everything.
Basicly all runs on irrigation .Rain is almost an incovienience in a lot of areas.

[Guest]

Much different type of agriculture there than the broad acre crops of the prairies too. Much more labor intensive, lots of migrant workers. There planting and harvesting crops is more comparable to our meat packing plants than our grain farms and they still have the processing/packing and shipping those crops which is also labor intensive compared to dumping of a farm truck over a pit.

yes , we've all been there
but have you been to parts in canada that do the same ??

[Guest]

They’re also going to be vaccinating zoo animals in California before most Canadians get a chance

then the zoo animals will get to vote along with the dead people

[dmlfarmer]

yes , we've all been there
but have you been to parts in canada that do the same ??

I have been to all the places named - Niagara region, Annapolis valley, PEI, BC interior, maple lots in Quebec, Southern Alberta and have seen the agriculture there. Been to those places in the winter too and seen very little crops actively growing unlike California where a year long growing season means there are workers in the fields year round. Did you know California commercially grows over 400 different crops? How many different crops are commercially grown in Canada?

[seldomseen]

Well if we had global warming like was promised we would have just as many crops and they would be a waste land to hot to produce anything!

[mcfarms]

COVID-Related Labour Shortages Hit Farmers Hard

Labour shortages as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic cost Canadian farmers $2.9 billion in 2020, equivalent to 4.2% of the sector’s total sales, according to a new study commissioned by the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC), says a story from Syngenta.

“This research emphasizes the importance of understanding how COVID-19 has affected the agriculture workforce.” said Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, Executive Director of CAHRC.

While the agricultural sector saw a gross domestic product (GDP) increase of 7% in 2020, it masked the sector’s worsening labour shortages. In fact, two in five employers surveyed as part of the study reported not being able to find all the workers that they needed.


It's a shame when someone posts something in support of their industry someone else in the same industry has to argue with them based on their politics.

[foragefarmer]

The variety of crops grown in Western Canada and considering how many acres are involved are not even comparable to the vast amount of variety in California.


Google answers that question quickly.

The average employment of hired workers in California agriculture (NAICS 11) rose over 10% between 2005 and 2015, when some 16,400 agricultural establishments hired an average 421,300 workers.


The Agriculture Sector in Canada. Agriculture is an important sector of Canada’s economy. As of 2018, there were 269,000 jobs in farming.

[jazz]

I guess the world needs lettuce and almonds more than it needs bread.

How many people does Canada feed per capita vs California? You can make a lot of loaves of bread and pasta out of a bushel of wheat.

Calculate the caloric density of pasta and bread vs broccoli.

Its called a pandemic for a reason. Your bespoke wines should come after your belly is full.

Just more political posturing because the vegetable picker demographic is largely new immigrant or visa worker.

[shtferbrains]

All it says is Canadian farmers are having trouble finding workers?

What's changed?

What has it got to do with the pandemic?