MAY 13, 2020
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loom varieties that can’t withstand transport are ideal for farmers’ markets. Plus, they’re popular with market shoppers. 4. More knowledge Selling directly to your custom-
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ers helps you keep track of what they pay a premium for and what they buy overall. If you offer something new, you’ll get immediate feedback. Talking to your customers will help you decide how to diversify your crops. In addition to these benefits, market vendors are in a unique position to be ambassadors for their farms. By forging strong ties to the community, they stand to gain support in growing their business.
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Agriculture Funding Announcement Falls Short Canadian Chamber of Commerce Submitted (OTTAWA, ON) – May 5, 2020 – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s President and CEO, Hon. Perrin Beatty, OC, OC, issued the following statement regarding new support for the agriculture and agri-food sector announced today: “While agricultural businesses work tirelessly to ensure that Canadians continue to see their store shelves stocked, producers and processors alike are increasingly concerned about the impacts of COVID19 on Canada’s supply chains. According to the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, one-quarter of agricultural businesses report highly-disrupted supply chains, compared to the national average of 15.8%. “The supports announced today are a first step, but they fall short of what the sector needs and will lead to delays in the ability of agriculture firms to
address the impacts of COVID-19. The sector will inevitably require more assistance in the future, and many businesses will suffer in the interim. “According to the Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, almost 40% of agriculture and agri-foodrelated businesses have seen a significant drop in
demand for their goods and services that jeopardizes their ability to remain open. “About one-third of businesses in the sector have reported that they can only last for up to two months without revenues before their businesses begin to fail. This will create significant challenges for a sector where many firms operate on razor-thin profit margins. “At the same time, agricultural and agri-food busi-
Eco Shopping is good for Small Businesses Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Shopping at local small businesses helps people save money while it can be beneficial to the environment in several ways. The obvious way is people can walk or bike to a local business. This saves money and time from having to travel to a city. In turn, traveling less also aids in environment stewardship because it reduces air pollution and cuts back on greenhouse gas emissions. Sometimes, you help out local farmers this way. As well, if you support your local
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businesses, they will be able to hire enough employees and local residents so they won’t have to drive out of town to obtain employment. Also, people seldom consider when you buy items online, as well as, not helping out local businesses; you put stress on the environment by having extra items needing to be shipped out. While if you buy from a local business, they usually already have the product in stock. If you buy groceries from a small business, you make them have a lot less food waste which is also good for the eco-system.
Hence, all things considered, it’s wise to shop at all the small businesses your community offers, and take a step in making a good environment for yourself and future generations you paid. Getting your reporting right can help you avoid interest and penalties later. Small business owners or selfemployed individuals who need help understanding their tax obligations can ask for a free visit from a CRA Liaison Officer at: Canada.ca/cra-liaison-officer. For more information about tax considerations when working in the sharing economy, visit Canada. ca/taxes-sharing-economy.
nesses need more support to address the seasonal nature of the industry. Many existing programs, such as the wage subsidy, are only applicable until June. More assistance will be needed over the coming months for an industry that conducts most of its business during the summer and fall.
