Providing Food While Protecting Farm Workers

Our farming community is adjusting to the shelter-in-place order now impacting counties in our agricultural region. However, the U.S. government and local county orders have deemed farming and food production as an essential industry so we are continuing with the work of growing and harvesting the healthy and safe fruits and vegetables consumers need now more than ever.

Farmers are taking additional steps to protect their workers as harvesting on the Central Coast will soon begin in earnest. This includes revising and increasing sanitation procedures for all field facilities. It should be noted that California has the strictest standards in the nation governing field sanitation practices that protect the health of workers. Training specific to illness prevention is also being reviewed and updated so farm workers are prepared on what steps they can take to protect their health.

Many actions we hear about in the media daily to protect hourly workers have already been implemented in California agriculture. This includes paid sick leave for farm workers as well as health care benefits for most farm employees.

These are difficult and challenging times for all of us. But as we see firsthand, we can assure you that the day-to-day hard work by farmers and farm workers continues and ensures Americans (and other countries as well) have the abundant supply of fruits and vegetables they are accustomed to.