The Government of Canada will allow processing plants to employ up to 30 percent of labor complement with temporary workers, up from the current 10 percent.

This change in policy follows lobbying by the Canadian Meat Council, an industry association.  Labor shortages that emerged during the COVID outbreak impacted production and due to an ongoing shortage of labor, output has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Predictably, the Government decision is opposed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. This organization contends that the shortage of labor is due to low pay and harsh working conditions.

In the U.S., the National Pork Producers Council is promoting extension of the H-2A Visa       Program to alleviate labor shortages in U.S. pork plants that were also affected by COVID, resulting in a ripple affect through the supply chain extending from production of live hogs through to retail during the affected months of 2200.