Despite the flurry of activity the month of August brings for many Alberta producers, the push is still on to protect the family farm.
And for some, change can’t come soon enough.
Colin Campbell runs Cajun Angus, a purebred beef cattle operation near Bon Accord. Even back in 2014, he knew industry standards were needed to further protect farmers and ranchers.
“We knew that things were going to have to change,” he says.
The Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act, also known as Bill 6, was first introduced in November 2015. It would allow farm and ranch workers the right to unionize, refuse unsafe work and receive overtime as well as vacation pay.
Protests erupted across the province last November, with many producers angry the bill had already passed first reading without full industry consultation.
Amendments to the bill were made in December. It now applies only to farm and ranch operations that employ paid workers, not to family members and neighbours that help out on the farm.
As of January, the government of Alberta made Workers Compensation Board (WCB) coverage mandatory for all farm workers.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, more than 2,600 accounts were registered in the agriculture sector by April 30. An additional 3,200 WCB accounts were registered as of July 30, as some producers only registered after their first hire of the year.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards also apply to all wage-earning employees while they are onsite.
OHS regulations, recommendations for employment codes and labour standards will be ironed out by six technical working groups, which consist of producers, ranchers and agricultural industry experts.
First meetings were held mid-June and have continued over the summer, says information provided to the Gazette by the ministry. The groups will take a break in the fall over the harvest season.
Recommendations to the government are anticipated in late December or early January. If the groups need more time they will be given more time to get it right, says Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
“I am pleased with the progress the members of the technical working groups have made on this file and I am grateful that in spite of their busy lives they are taking the time to help the government with recommendations that will work for Albertans,” he says.
Legislation to protect farm and ranch workers would bring Alberta up to speed with the safety standards of other provinces, say government officials.
Since farm labour laws were introduced in British Columbia, the farm fatality rate dropped by 68 per cent, farm injury rates dropped by 52 per cent and serious injury rates decreased by 41 per cent.
According to the ministry, Albertans will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft regulations made by the technical working groups.
