Yukon farmers are asking the territorial government to follow their own advice, following a tariff war with the United States, to buy local products.
Bridget Hurlburt possesses and Opera Haven Ranch West from Whitehorse with her husband, Cody. When the delivery season begins, they will be raised every three hours, but at this time, which keeps it awake at night is the lack of Yukon government.
The territory buys food for facilities administered by the Government, such as hospitals, schools, prisons and homes of continuous care. He said he has spent more than $ 9.6 million on ordered foods through the Sysco Canada Food Services between 2021 and 2025.
Between 2021 and 2024, he spent $ 124,000 on goods produced locally.
Bridget says the government made an order with Haven Ranch last year for 50 pieces of beef.
“It would be really great to have that support so that we could have the means to continue living this lifestyle,” he said. “Because we don’t have that local support, we must discover how to get to the end of the month.”
Bridget said that a way of making things work is to export their cows.
Two thirds of farm cattle, approximately 90 animals, are sold to Alberta, BC and Alaska.
“A market animal takes about two years to finish, so we are making an investment approximately two years before selling the animal,” Bridget said. “We have gotten into export because without reliable sales in Yukón we could also export.”
He said that with government support, Horse Have Ranch could grow his business.
Ministers pressing for more local acquisitions
The Yukon government says it has taken measures to support local producers.
Last year, an internal website with Yukon Growers products was launched soft. The idea is that those responsible for buying products for the Yukon government can use it to find local food producers, but so far, absorption has been low.
John Streamker, the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, said in an interview on Wednesday morning that the Government buys a “very low” number of local food products, and that “we need to do more.” He said that the government was “again” its effort to ensure that the facilities managed by the Government buy in that online market in the light of what has been happening with the United States.
Streaticker said that the Ministers of Health and Education of the Territory are “giving the direction that there must be a significant increase in local purchase … I think the goal is 10 percent of the purchase should be local.”
When asked why the local acquisition has not been more priority until now, Streaticker said: “I don’t know.”
“As, is it due to the local level of the chefs and they are only accustomed to buying another way?” Streamker asked. “I am trying to discover what the challenges are so that we can make this work in the right direction.”
Geoff Holmes, acquisition manager with the Yukon government, said their voice is still running on the new online market.
“Education is what we are focusing at this time,” said Holmes.
The local campaigns of the store are appearing throughout Canada in the middle of a commercial war with the United States. Meanwhile, farmers in the Yukón say that the government should follow their own advice. George Marratas has the story.
Market difficult to break
Al Stannard owns Mandalay Farm north of Whitehorse, where he and his wife have directed a small poultry farm during the last 8.5 years that sells eggs under the Little Red Hen brand.
They have 4,400 birds and Stannard says that businesses are good, but it could be much better. Ideally, he would like to have 10,000 birds on the farm.
Stannard says he sold only one percent of his eggs to the Yukon government last year.
“I would love to sell more,” he said.
“Economies of scale [are] What will reduce our prices and make us more affordable for everyone, not only for people who can pay a brown egg. “
Stannard said it is time for the territory to put his money where his mouth is, and he adds that it could be a year of promotion for some farmers.
“I don’t think we should depend on the government, but here I would give many farms so constant that banks would like to see so that the farms do an expansion,” Stannard said.
“When people will spend more on a Starbucks coffee than local eggs or vegetables, we need a little more support to take off.”
Trevor Amiot owns Hinterland Flour Mill in Whitehorse, who sells flour flour, pancakes and brownie and recently entered the sandwiches market with his puff pastry yukon curls.
Amiot said that last year’s sales to the Yukon government amount to less than half percent.
“How do we get local food security while we compete with larger suppliers in the south?” Amiot said. “I think the government could play a massive role in that if you used its dollars correctly.”
