Oxford Foods Hints of a Food Crisis

Workers are bracing for a major layoff at Oxford Frozen Foods.

The food processing company soldiered on through the coronavirus pandemic but mother nature may force a sudden slowdown.

The summer’s long, hot, and dry spell wreaked havoc with wild blueberry production. Not only were blueberries scarce, the berries are extremely small, well below what the company would describe as first quality.

There simply aren’t enough blueberries to keep production running in the usual fashion.

A similar fate faces other vegetable production at the Oxford plant. Carrots are also not growing to the company’s usual standard.

It was only two years ago when the company’s freezers were full and blueberry prices bottomed out and many producers stopped harvesting their fields.

Considered an essential service, Oxford Foods was given relaxed rules during the COVID shutdown. Still an essential service, the impending slowdown warns of the fragile nature of our food supply, especially from suppliers outside Canada.

Many people turned to home gardens this year but they too have been affected by the adverse growing weather. Grocery prices are already rising and will only worsen with this year's poor harvest and the fallout from the pandemic.

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