As a late clause in Real Agriculture sharpen out , due to COVID-19 restriction , some fruit and vegetable farmers in Canada are go through a project famine . “ There ’s a tangible risk of farms moving aside from vegetable production on a large scale in 2021 , although right now , no one is brave enough to put a routine on the estimated pull - back in production , ” stated Lyndsey Smith .
Since a labor shortage has been farm in the United States as well , we want to check in with a few experts on this side of the border and see if they anticipate the same problem in the greenhouse industry . Charlie McKenzie , who most of you know from his podcast Crop Talk , is one of the founders of Crop Walk , a full - armed service IPM consultancy . Charlie discusses Ag with grower on a casual cornerstone and offered his brainwave .
“ It seems like indoor agriculture will see a production increase in 2021 , especially in produce , ornamentals , and Cannabis , where outdoor husbandry will see stagnation or even reduction , more outside farmers I talk to are reduce production this year compare to last , ” Charlie suggested .
As for the shock of COVID-19 on production due to a labor shortfall he had a dissimilar linear perspective .
“ I remember indoor production will face unique challenges related to Labour Party . With higher scrutiny over labor practices for working in enclosed space , quickness might see increased challenges & costs associated with the utilisation and management of labor . Thus , they will probably be look towards automating processes and improving efficiencies .
Bob Jones , Jr. runs The Chef ’s Garden in Huron , Ohio , and has been furnish microgreens to chefs and consumers for over 30 years . As presently as the pandemic hit , Bob pivoted forthwith and made those same microgreens available to the public .
“ I expect 2021 to be a stronger sales yr than 2020 . Our customers are a blend of restaurants and habitation consumers and the home consumer business continues to grow while we ’re seeing the restaurants take up to come back online , ” Bob explain . “ We have a supply of labor and relationship that we ’ve had with the great unwashed in Mexico and we ’re not bringing everyone in this year . We will always be a helping hand harvesting performance ; mechanically skillful harvesting ca n’t duplicate the aid to quality that well - trained people can . ”
Dr. Marc van Iersel is a professor in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia and works very closely with both the outside and indoor farming community . Dr. Van Iersel offered a fascinating insight and focused on greenhouse staffing alternatively of the immigration / visa issue .
“ A good deal of the labour problems in the glasshouse in Canada are mostly due to the pressures of cannabis product , ” he noted . “ multitude are switching over from tomatoes and cucumbers to cannabis . We in the U.S. do n’t have the same kind of effectual product and the requirements for a CEA readiness here almost force you to build raw facilities . It does n’t seem to be taking by a lot of existing greenhouse blank . ”
When I followed up and asked him if he forecasts 2021 food yield being down from 2020 , he replied without hesitation , “ No . I do n’t conceive so . ”
Whether or not labor pressure and greenhouse changeover increase significantly in the United States as cannabis becomes legal in more states is certainly disputable . While new greenhouse operations are more efficient due to engineering science such as AI and the habit of robotics , as of now produce production is already up this January from last year and there are no signs that the trend will alter .
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