Canada’s food sovereignty depends on better jobs for farmworkers – The Conversation

Analysis of Canada’s Food System and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Recent trade dynamics have heightened Canadian consumer awareness of domestic food production. However, a focus on “buy local” initiatives fails to address fundamental systemic deficiencies that impede Canada’s progress toward an equitable and sustainable food system, as outlined in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Critical challenges remain in areas of food security, sustainable production, and most significantly, the provision of decent work for the agricultural labour force.

Systemic Challenges to Food System Sustainability

Barriers to Responsible Production and Consumption (SDG 12)

Canada’s capacity to build a sustainable food system is undermined by several policy and regulatory gaps that conflict with the principles of SDG 12. These include:

• Inter-provincial trade barriers that inhibit efficient domestic food distribution.
• Outdated pesticide regulations that pose risks to environmental and human health.
• Broader gaps in Canadian food policy that fail to holistically address sustainability.

Food Insecurity and Inequality (SDG 2, SDG 10)

The national dialogue on local food often overlooks the persistent issue of food insecurity, a direct contradiction to the objective of Zero Hunger (SDG 2). An equitable food system must ensure access to affordable, nutritious food for all populations, addressing the inequalities (SDG 10) that create barriers to access.

The Human Dimension: Decent Work in Agriculture (SDG 8)

The State of Agricultural Labour in Canada

The agricultural sector is foundational to the food system, yet its workforce faces conditions that are antithetical to the principles of Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8). Agricultural work is frequently characterized by:

• Unsafe working conditions, jeopardizing Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3).
• Inadequate pay and exclusion from basic labour protections such as overtime.
• Precarious employment status and unhealthy living conditions.

Vulnerability of Migrant Workers and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)

The challenges related to decent work are particularly acute for migrant workers, who constitute approximately one-quarter of Canada’s agricultural labour force.

1. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program creates a state of “institutionalized deportability,” where workers are tied to a single employer, creating a severe power imbalance.
2. This dependency leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation and suppresses their ability to advocate for their rights.
3. Such conditions perpetuate systemic inequalities, directly contravening the mandate of SDG 10 to reduce inequality within and among countries.

Agricultural Exceptionalism as a Barrier to Justice (SDG 16)

A historical belief in “agricultural exceptionalism” has led to the exclusion of farm work from many standard labour-protective laws. This regulatory gap undermines the goal of Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) by denying a class of workers equal protection under the law.

Case Study: Job Quality in British Columbia’s Organic Sector

Study Objectives and Findings

A survey of organic vegetable farmers in British Columbia was conducted to assess job quality within a sector often aligned with values of fairness and sustainability. The study found that despite ethical motivations, job quality was generally poor.

• Both certified and non-certified organic farms scored poorly on metrics such as employment procedures, paid time off, and extended health benefits.
• The most significant barrier reported by farmers to improving job quality was financial cost.
• Farm economic size, measured by revenue, was the strongest predictor of better labour practices, suggesting that larger enterprises are better able to invest in job quality improvements.

Implications for Sustainable Development

The study’s results indicate a critical disconnect between consumer perceptions of sustainable food and the reality of agricultural labour.

• The price premiums associated with organic products do not appear sufficient to overcome the financial barriers to providing living wages (SDG 1) and decent work (SDG 8).
• While larger farms may offer better conditions, often due to requirements of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, this same program creates structural power imbalances that undermine worker well-being and equality (SDG 10).

Recommendations for an Equitable and Sustainable Food System

Policy Actions for SDG Alignment

Achieving a resilient, affordable, and equitable food system requires a concerted focus on the social pillar of sustainability. The following actions are recommended:

1. Eliminate the regulatory exemptions that exclude farm workers from standard labour protections to ensure Decent Work (SDG 8) and promote Justice (SDG 16).
2. Implement policies and programs to ensure living wages for all farm workers, directly addressing the goal of No Poverty (SDG 1).
3. Develop strategies to ensure that ecologically and ethically produced food remains affordable, thereby supporting goals for Zero Hunger (SDG 2) and Responsible Consumption (SDG 12).
4. Integrate the rights, dignity, and safety of the agricultural workforce as a core component of all national food policies.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The article directly mentions “food insecurity” and discusses the need to build a “sustainable food system” in Canada, which are central themes of this goal.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The text highlights farm workers’ “lack of access to health care,” “unhealthy living conditions,” and “unsafe workplaces,” which are critical health and well-being concerns.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: This is a primary focus of the article. It extensively discusses the poor working conditions of farm workers, including “inadequate pay,” “unsafe working conditions,” “precarious employment,” and exclusion from “basic labour protections.”
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article points to the specific vulnerabilities of migrant workers under the “Temporary Foreign Worker program,” describing their situation as one of “institutionalized deportability” and “structural disempowerment,” which creates significant inequalities.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The discussion around the “buy local” movement, “outdated pesticide regulations,” and the sustainability of organic farming practices relates to achieving sustainable consumption and production patterns.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. The article’s mention of “food insecurity” in Canada directly connects to this target.
   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices. The article’s discussion of building an “equitable and sustainable food system,” the challenges faced by organic farmers, and “outdated pesticide regulations” aligns with this target.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. The article points to a failure in meeting this target for a specific population by stating that farm workers face a “lack of access to health care.”
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. The article’s focus on “inadequate pay,” the need for “living wages,” and poor job quality (lack of paid time off, benefits) directly addresses the need for decent work and fair pay.
   • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, and in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment. This is a central theme, supported by references to “unsafe working conditions,” “exclusion from basic labour protections,” the precarity of migrant workers who are “tied to their employers,” and the historical exemption of farm work from protective laws.
4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. The article critiques Canada’s “Temporary Foreign Worker program,” highlighting how it creates “power imbalances” and “vulnerability to exploitation,” suggesting that current policies are not well-managed for the protection of migrant workers.
5. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. The mention of “outdated pesticide regulations” points to a gap in achieving the sound management of agricultural chemicals.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For Target 2.1:
   • Indicator: Prevalence of food insecurity. The article explicitly names “food insecurity” as a key issue within Canada’s food system. Measuring its prevalence would track progress.
2. For Target 8.5:
   • Indicator: Existence of living wages for farm workers. The article contrasts “inadequate pay” with the need for “living wages,” implying that the gap between actual wages and a living wage is a key metric.
   • Indicator: Provision of employee benefits. The survey of organic farms measured job quality by the presence of “paid time off and extended health benefits,” which can serve as direct indicators.
3. For Target 8.8:
   • Indicator: Coverage of labour protections. The article states that farm workers are often “excluded from important safeguards… like overtime pay.” An indicator would be the percentage of farm workers covered by standard labour laws.
   • Indicator: Occupational health and safety practices. The article mentions “unsafe workplaces” as a problem and notes that organic farms performed better on “practices related to occupational health and physical strain,” suggesting these practices can be measured.
   • Indicator: Access to grievance procedures. This was a specific aspect of job quality measured in the survey mentioned in the article, making it a tangible indicator of worker protection.
4. For Target 10.7:
   • Indicator: Proportion of migrant workers in the agricultural labour force. The article states that “about one-quarter” of this labour is performed by migrant workers, a statistic that indicates the scale of reliance on temporary foreign worker programs.
   • Indicator: Reports of exploitation or mistreatment of migrant workers. The article implies this through phrases like “vulnerability to exploitation” and “mistreatment and structural disempowerment,” which could be tracked through formal complaints or surveys.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theconversation.com