News & Announcements

Dear Yukon Food Producers,

The Government of Yukon has recently put out an invitational tender to retail and wholesale grocery suppliers for bids on a 3-5 year Standing Offer Agreement (SOA) for the supply and delivery of Yukon food and food products to the Yukon government. Within this SOA, Yukon government is encouraging suppliers to develop relationships with local producers and include Yukon-grown agricultural foods and products when available.

Agriculture Branch and Government of Yukon would like to encourage producers who are interested in this type of market opportunity to prepare for retail and wholesale grocery suppliers to contact you. The retailer or wholesaler will want to know details about:

what you produce;
volume and available format (i.e. 5 lbs bag, 50 lb boxes, sides, cuts, frozen, fresh etc.);
seasonal availability (when do you have product for distribution – i.e. fall only, summer and fall, year round?);
price point (should be competitive with other local food);
your food safety program; and
when you have new products available.

Bidders will be contacting local producers in coming weeks. This is a great opportunity to think through the above details and plan how your business could work with wholesale/retail suppliers to provide local food to government operations.

Questions?

Contact: Kristine Ferris, Policy Analyst, Agriculture Branch, 867-667-3116, kristine.ferris@yukon.ca

Fuel Tax Exemptions for Yukon Farmers

At YAA’s request, Agriculture Branch and Finance Department have compiled an information sheet about two fuel tax exemptionsavailable to Yukon farmers – one is territorial and one is federal. The info sheet includes links to application forms for the Fuel Tax Exemption Permit and the Carbon Pollution Pricing Exemption Certificate. CLICK HERE FOR THE INFORMATION SHEET.

COVID-19 INFORMATION

City of Whitehorse – Resources for businesses

Government of Yukon – Economic and social supports

Yukon Chamber of Commerce – Territorial and federal funding announcements

Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board – COVID-19 and your workplace

Agriculture Agri-Food Canada – Financial support for farmers and food processors

Agriculture Agri-Food Canada – COVID-19 industry information

Farm Credit Canada – Payment deferrals and credit line program

Government of Canada – Managing your business during COVID-19

Links updated on July 21, 2020

YUKON FARMERS ARE IN THE NEWS!

In June, Yukon farmers made the front cover and headline story of COUNTRY GUIDE, Canada’s oldest farming magazine.

Yukon gold

July 7, 2020

COVID-19 CFA’s Weekly Survey

To respond to the emergent needs of Canadian farmers as COVID-19 impacts food security across the country, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) published a series of weekly surveys from March to May 2020. CFA has now suspended the farmer surveys; however, they continue to advocate on behalf of Canada’s agriculture sector. For more information about their initiatives, click here.

May 19, 2020