May 5, 2020

US specialty crop industry touts COVID-19 employee safety protocols

A national coalition of 64 organizations representing specialty crop producers sent a letter to congressional leadership on May 1 highlighting the extraordinary measures agricultural employers are taking to protect their workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Farmers and ranchers across the country moved quickly to implement new employee safety protocols early in this crisis,” said National Council of Agricultural Employers President and CEO Michael Marsh. “While America was being placed on lockdown, agricultural employers were already at work trying to figure out how to best protect their employees and the public,” Marsh continued.

The letter details the collaboration between the agriculture industry, public health experts and regulatory agency officials to develop best safety practices in the field and in packing, processing and cooling facilities.

“Given the strong food safety culture within the fresh produce industry, adapting and expanding our practices to protect workers happened quickly. The industry leveraged general recommendations offered by CDC, OSHA and various state public health agencies, tailoring them to the specialty crop industry as needed to put worker safety first,” stated United Fresh Produce Association President & CEO Tom Stenzel.

Around the country, agricultural organizations have worked with farmers and ranchers to develop industry-specific training materials and programs to educate both the employer and the employee on critical guidance related to hygiene and sanitation, social distancing and other recommendations to protect essential workers and slow the spread of COVID-19.

“Like many essential businesses, the agricultural workplace has responded in real time to evolving public health directives,” noted Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association President Mike Joyner. “Employees are the critical element to all agricultural operations, and employee safety is both a moral and financial imperative for farmers and ranchers,” Joyner continued.

As future rounds of COVID-19 pandemic legislation are debated, the coalition letter urges congressional leaders to acknowledge the widespread employee protection protocols already in place on American farms and ranches, and to provide additional support to help agricultural employers meet the needs of their employees.

“Farmers and ranchers are striving daily to ensure the welfare of their employees, in order to safeguard our food supply and bolster or nation’s response to COVID-19,” said Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia. “We are calling on Congress to extend current relief efforts for agriculture, and to include additional funding for personal protective equipment and other measures to offset the costs of maintaining an essential workforce during the pandemic,” Puglia continued.

Click here to read the full letter.

The joint letter reads as follows:  

May 1, 2020

Dear Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, and Leader McCarthy:

The fresh produce industry is committed to the safety of our workers, whether harvest crews in the field or employees in packing facilities, all while keeping the food supply chain moving.  We are an essential part of feeding American consumers and the world at a time when our healthy fruits and vegetables are more in need than ever.

Recent accusations regarding the employee protections in agriculture are unfounded.  With every stage of the emerging COVID-19 crisis, our industry has worked hard to embrace all public health advice for social distancing, personal and facility hygiene, face coverings and more. While there is no specific guidance for farms from the CDC, OSHA or FDA as of yet, producers have implemented protocols based on general guidance from these agencies, as well as USDA and state and local public health and agriculture officials. Some of these recommendations that have been implemented include but are not limited to those referenced here:

• Centers for Disease Control
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Department of Labor
• Department of Homeland Security
• Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Department of Agriculture

These efforts have resulted in changes to operations across the country in order to keep our workers safe while bringing food to the American people.

Furthermore, beyond the government guidance mentioned above, the produce industry has enhanced these government recommendations and provided our strongest commitment to workforce safety:

• Produce employers have partnered with hospitals and health care officials to create a program where doctors and nurses visit worksites to discuss COVID-19 risks and provide educational services.
• Grower organizations have sponsored Public Service Announcements in English, Spanish and other languages in communities with a high density of agricultural workers advising them about the proper safety steps to take not only on the job but in their communities.
• Industry organizations have partnered with state extension service to produce educational videos and material in English and Spanish for workers to educate them about proper sanitation and healthcare practices.
• Grower groups have partnered with worker advocates to develop guidelines for strong state enforcement of workplace and housing standards.
• Beyond our farms and our own employee housing, companies are providing workers advice on in-home sanitation, social distancing, and recuperative services.

These steps reflect our continued commitment to the safety and well-being of our employees, the safety of the products they harvest, and the health of all Americans who must continue to consume healthy foods as part of our public health fight back against this virus.  Without a safe and healthy work force, we could not continue to meet that challenge.

Going forward, we will continually update our safety protocols in accordance with all government guidance. We also look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of aisle and with the administration to ensure a safe workplace for our employees and a safe and abundant food supply for our country. In that regard, we note that we need to secure additional personal protective equipment – farmers have some reserves of these supplies but as this crisis lingers, we are concerned about the ability to secure supplies in the future.

Sincerely

United Fresh Produce Association, Western Growers Association, National Potato Council, National Watermelon Association, US Apple Association, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Florida Tomato Exchange, Northwest Horticultural Society, California Farm Bureau, National Council of Agricultural Employers