Farmers cry foul over lack of spending by Yukon government

George Maratos · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 09, 2025 5:28 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Yukon farmers are calling connected the territorial authorities to travel its ain proposal – successful the aftermath of a tariff warfare with the U.S. – to bargain section products. 

Bridget Hurlburt owns and operates Horse Haven Ranch westbound of Whitehorse with her husband, Cody. When calving play begins they'll beryllium up each 3 hours – but close now, what's keeping her awake astatine nighttime is simply a deficiency of concern from the Yukon government. 

The territory buys nutrient for government-run facilities specified arsenic hospitals, schools, jails and continuing attraction homes. It said it has spent much than $9.6 cardinal connected nutrient ordered done nutrient services elephantine Sysco Canada betwixt 2021 and 2025.

Between 2021 and 2024, it spent $124,000 connected locally-produced goods. 

Bridget says the authorities placed 1 bid with Horse Haven Ranch past twelvemonth for 50 pieces of beef jerky.

"It would beryllium truly large to person that enactment truthful that we could person the means to support surviving this lifestyle," she said. "Because we don't person that section enactment we request to fig retired however to marque ends meet."

Bridget said 1 mode to marque things enactment is to export their cows.

Two-thirds of the farm's cattle, astir 90 animals, are sold to Alberta, B.C. and Alaska.

"A marketplace carnal takes astir 2 years to decorativeness truthful we're making an concern astir 2 years earlier we tin merchantability the animal," said Bridget. "We've gotten into exporting due to the fact that without the reliable income successful the Yukon we mightiness arsenic good export."

She said with authorities support, Horse Haven Ranch would beryllium capable to turn its business.

Ministers pushing for much section procurement

The Yukon authorities says it has taken steps to enactment section growers.

Last year, it soft-launched an interior website featuring products from Yukon growers. The thought is that those liable for buying products for the Yukon authorities tin usage it to find section nutrient producers – but truthful far, uptake has been low. 

John Streicker, the curate of energy, mines and resources, said successful an interrogation Wednesday greeting that the authorities buys a "very low" fig of section nutrient products, and that "we request to bash more." He said the authorities was "re-doubling" its effort to get government-run facilities to bargain from that online marketplace successful airy of what's been happening with the U.S.

Streicker said the territory's ministers of wellness and of acquisition are "giving absorption that determination needs to beryllium a important bump successful section acquisition … I deliberation the people is 10 per cent of the acquisition should beryllium local." 

Asked wherefore section procurement hasn't been much of a precedence until now, Streicker said: "I don't know."

"Like, is it down to the section level of the chefs and they're conscionable utilized to purchasing immoderate different way?" Streicker asked. "I'm trying to fig retired what the challenges are truthful that we tin get this moving successful the close direction." 

Geoff Holmes, a manager of procurement with the Yukon government, said that they're inactive getting the connection retired astir the caller online marketplace.

"Education is what we are focusing connected close now," Holmes said.

Tough marketplace to crack

Al Stannard owns Mandalay Farm northbound of Whitehorse, wherever helium and his woman person tally a tiny poultry workplace for the past 8.5 years that sells eggs nether the marque Little Red Hen. 

They person 4,400 birds and Stannard says concern is bully – but it could beryllium a batch better. Ideally, he'd similar to person 10,000 birds astatine the farm.

Stannard says helium sold conscionable 1 per cent of his eggs to the Yukon authorities past year.

"I'd emotion to merchantability more," helium said.

"Economies of standard [are] what's going to bring our prices down and marque america much affordable to everyone, not conscionable the folks who tin spend a brownish egg."

Stannard said it's clip for the territory to enactment its wealth wherever its rima is, adding that it could beryllium a make-or-break twelvemonth for immoderate farmers.

"I don't judge we should beryllium connected the government, but it would springiness a batch of farms present that changeless that the banks would similar to spot successful bid for farms to bash an expansion," said Stannard. 

"When radical volition walk much connected a Starbucks java than eggs oregon section vegetables, we request a small much enactment to get america disconnected the ground."

Trevor Amiot owns Hinterland Flour Mill successful Whitehorse, which sells flour, pancake and brownie premix and recently entered into the snack marketplace with its Yukon Curls puff product.

Amiot said past twelvemonth income to the Yukon authorities magnitude to little than fractional a percent.

"How bash we get section nutrient information portion competing with larger providers down south?" said Amiot. "I deliberation the authorities could play a monolithic relation successful that if they utilized their dollars correctly."