Bibeau offers praise but no direct response to request.Ottawa—Conservative agriculture critics John Barlow and Richard Lehoux have joined calls from farm organizations to have the agrifood sector declared as critical infrastructure to ensure that supply chains keep delivering food.“As we fight the COVID-19 crisis, the ability for farmers and producers to do their job and keep feeding Canadians is paramount,” they said in a statement. “Canadians need to know that while they stay home and practice physical distancing, grocery store shelves will have the essentials they need.“As we have seen in the past few weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to disruptions in supply chains and outputs in the Canadian economy. This cannot happen to Canada's agriculture sector.”They said that by declaring the agriculture sector as essential, the agri-food supply chain “will remain intact and Canadians will be able to continue to count on access to safe and affordable food during the pandemic.”Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau says that “Like many Canadians, I am truly grateful to our farmers, food processors, truckers, rail and port workers and food bank volunteers who go to work every day so the rest of us have food to eat.“These men and women are absolutely essential for us to maintain a stable food supply as we tackle this pandemic,” she said. “From the beginning, we made it clear that the continuous movement of goods across borders was a fundamental requirement of our plan. That includes food, but also other equipment, materials and inputs required by Canada's food businesses.“Canadians can be confident we will be there every step of the way to support those working in our supply chain and ensure Canada's food security.”Barlow said Bibeau needs to follow through on an earlier promise to have all those in the agrifood sector declared as essential workers. “The fact is, that Canada's farmers, producers and processors cannot wait any longer.“Farmers and producers will be making key decisions in the coming days and weeks which will have a huge impact on Canada's agriculture sector,” they said. “It is important this vital sector be declared essential so farmers, producers and processors can move forward with the hard work of putting food on Canadians' tables.”President Mary Robinson of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is among those calling for the essential designation for the full spectrum of the food supply chain. “Every part of that chain, from raw production, to transportation and processing and all the way to retail, is integral to ensuring that Canadians have access to food during these difficult times. That is why one of our main goals is to have the entire Agri-Food system be deemed an essential service and their workers as essential workers, with the protections and supports which that designation provides.”Executive Director Erin Gowriluk of Grain Growers of Canada has said the $5 billion the federal government has made available to the sector through Farm Credit Canada recognizes “the essential role that farmers play in our economy.”Farmers need improvements “business risk management programs to ensure farmers have meaningful support during challenging times.”Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.