Congressional Hispanic Caucus Members Urge Growers Protect Farmworkers From COVID-19 Outbreaks

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Twenty-five members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) led by Chairman Joaquin Castro are requesting information from 127 of America's agricultural employers on the exact steps they've taken to protect farmworkers, use federal assistance, and prevent future coronavirus outbreaks.

The list of 127 agricultural employer recipients of the CHC letter was based on a combination of factors, including COVID-19 hot spots identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the size of farm operation, employers of H2-A visa holders as identified by the U.S. Department of Labor, and also documented COVID-19 outbreaks. The CHC extends a special thanks to the United Farm Workers (UFW), the Food and Environment Reporting Network (FERN) for their invaluable work tracking COVID-19 outbreaks in the food system, as well as the Environmental Working Group which similarly tracks COVID-19 outbreaks in collaboration with Farmworker Justice.

The CHC is aware these lists of outbreaks are not comprehensive, with many farm outbreaks going unreported by local public health departments or by the companies themselves. The CHC supports continued efforts to ensure data is collected and transparently released regarding COVID-19 outbreaks within the agriculture industry.

"Reports also suggest that many farms have failed to work under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) workplace recommendations.[8] At times like this, it is important for growers to take additional steps to keep their workers healthy while also advocating for necessary government assistance," the Members wrote. "Protecting farmworkers and their families should be seen as a crucial component to win our fight against this pandemic that has threatened the security of our workforce, the food security and economic foundations of our nation, and taken the lives of over 150,000 Americans."

The letter was signed by CHC Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), First Vice Chair Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Second Vice Chair Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Whip Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Freshman Representative Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04), Congressman Filemon Vela (TX-34), Congressman Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36), Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-3), Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-12), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Congressman José E. Serrano (NY-16), Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32), Congressman J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Congressman Juan Vargas (CA-51), Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Congresswoman Debbie Murcarsel-Powell (FL-26), and Congressman Michael F.Q. San Nicolas (Guam-At-Large).

Full list of agricultural employer recipients:

1. JR Simplot Farms
2. Wonderful Inc,
3. Grimmway Enterprises, Inc.
4. Del Monte Fresh Produce Company
5. Calavo Growers
6. Sunkist Growers, Inc.
7. Aurora Organic Dairy
8. Bolthouse Farms
9. Monterey Mushrooms
10. Dole Fresh Fruit Company
11. Costa Farms
12. Freshpoint, Inc.
13. RD Offutt Farms
14. JG Boswell Farms
15. Florida Crystals
16. Domex Superfresh Growers, LLC
17. Duda & Sons, Inc.
18. Church Brothers, LLC
19. Produce Alliance, L.L.C.
20. Driscoll's, Inc.
21. Moonlight Packing Corporation
22. Wawona Packing Co. LLC
23. David Oppenheimer and Company I, L.L.C.
24. Tom Lange Company, Inc.
25. Triple "b" Corporation/Charlie's Produce
26. Blaine Larsen Farms, Inc.
27. L.A. Specialty Produce Co.
28. Castellini Holding Company LLC
29. Iowa Select Farms
30. Herbruck's Poultry Ranch
31. Southern Valley Fruit & Vegetable
32. Townsend Farms
33. Allan Bros. Fruit
34. Farming Technology Corperation
35. Olson's Greenhouse
36. Stemilt Ag Services
37. Rakhra Mushroom
38. Jones and Church Farms
39. Grouse Ridge Tree Farm
40. Foster Farms
41. Harrington & Sons Farm
42. Barbee Farms
43. Sweet Berry Farms
44. Scott's Strawberry & Tomato Farms
45. Brenneman Pork
46. Kenneth Rudd Farm
47. Ostrom Mushroom Farms
48. Burch Farms
49. Duckwall Fruit
50. Villa las Brisas
51. Henderson Farm
52. Green Empire Farms
53. Stemilt Growers LLC
54. Bottomley Evergreens and Farms
55. Evan's Fruit
56. Sleepy Creek Farm
57. Green Acre Farms
58. Maroa Farms
59. Michael Farms
60. Congdon Orchard
61. Gilbert Orchards
62. Colorado Mushroom Farm
63. Norris Blueberry Farm
64. Mountain King Potatoes
65. Legacy Fruit
66. Olsen's Greenhouse
67. Stadelman Fruit
68. Loftus Ranches
69. Harrington and Sons Farm
70. Oregon Harvesting Inc.
71. Chelan Fruit
72. Tributary Hop Farms
73. Roy Farms
74. Porter Farms Produce
75. Orchard View Farm
76. Highland Fruit Growers
77. Threemile Canyon Farm
78. McDougall & Sons
79. Unger Farms
80. Western Sweet Cherry Group
81. Pan American Berry Growers
82. Jones & Church Farms
83. Dovex Fruit Company
84. Hancock Foods
85. Rudd Strawberry Farm
86. Cal-Maine
87. Amstad Produce
88. Norton Creek Farms
89. Merrill Blueberry Farm
90. Tenneson Orchards
91. McClaskey Orchards
92. Walker Brothers Farm
93. Meduri Farms
94. Wong's Potatoes
95. Hickman's Family Farms
96. Polehn Farms
97. Pope & Sons Farm
98. Veldhuis Dairy
99. Wyman's of Maine
100. Atlantic Blueberry Co.
101. Sunnyside Dairy LLC
102. Perrault Farms
103. Chiawana Orchards
104. Brulotte Farm
105. Christopher Ranch
106. Vital Farms
107. Alco Harvesting
108. Zirkle Fruit Company
109. Farm-Op Kuzzens H2A, LLC
110. R & R Harvesting, Inc.
111. Rancho Nuevo Harvesting
112. North Carolina Growers Association
113. Fresh Harvest, Inc (Scaroni Family of Companies)
114. Foothill Packing, Inc.
115. Washington Farm Labor Association (WAFLA)
116. Elkhorn Packing Co., Inc.
117. The Growers Company
118. Overlook Harvesting Company, LLC
119. A Oseguera Company
120. Alewelt Concrete, Inc
121. Tanimura & Antle Fresh Foods, Inc.
122. Citrus Harvesting, Inc.
123. Gebbers Farms
124. Primex Farms
125. Royal Oak Ag Service
126. Venegas Farming
127. Magaña Labor Services, Inc.

Full text of the letter follows and can be found here.

Dear [Agricultural Employer],

Since the onset of the pandemic, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has threatened the health of essential workers across the country. Those risking their well-being have been actively securing our food supply, safeguarding the health of our communities, and providing invaluable contributions to the American economy.[1] Foremost among these essential workers of the pandemic are America's farmworkers. Although farmworkers have been classified as "critical infrastructure," many lack essential protections and benefits, putting them and their families at increased risk of exposure to COVID-19.[2] The high-risk nature of farm workplaces called for early prevention; nonetheless, we are seeing the consequences of inadequate measures being implemented to protect workers.[3] To respond to this crisis, Congress passed multiple relief packages that included measures to protect workers and provide assistance to growers. We write to you today requesting specific information about how your company is actively promoting worker safety, steps you're taking to prevent any potential COVID-19 outbreaks among agricultural workers, and information on additional federal assistance needed to further protect farmworkers.

Social inequities that have long been prevalent among America's farmworkers have been exposed and widened by the current public health crisis. Deeming farmworkers essential necessitates a duty to protect them with proactive actions. About half of all crop hands in the United States are undocumented immigrants, with growers and laborers estimating that the number may be higher.[4] According to the Department of Labor's National Agricultural Workers Survey, at least 83% of farmworkers nation-wide are Latino.[5] Although they help feed the nation, the mean and median income of a farmworker family are $20,000 and $24,999, respectively.[6] Ironically, given that it is their labor that feeds America, many farmworker families suffer from food insecurity, from California[1] to Georgia[2]. Despite their low wages, farmworkers that are undocumented or that are part of a mixed-status household won't be able to receive the direct cash assistance headed to millions of U.S. households. Farmworkers also disproportionately lack health insurance or paid sick leave. This means that many farmworkers simply cannot afford to get sick.

It has been recently reported that many farmworkers have received no government aid and are fearful of relationships and lack communication with agricultural employers.[7] It is critical that adequate measures be implemented in agricultural operations to provide workers with effective information in a language that they understand. It's also imperative that a transparent work environment be provided that welcomes questions and concerns. Reports also suggest that many farms have failed to work under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) workplace recommendations.[8] At times like this, it is important for growers to take additional steps to keep their workers healthy while also advocating for necessary government assistance. Those who plant, harvest, and package our country's food deserve to be properly supported.

In order to work efficiently to protect our farmworkers, we respectfully request that you provide answers to the following questions no later than September 7th, 2020:

1. Congress passed COVID-19 response packages that, among many things, help businesses keep their workforce employed during the pandemic and extend emergency paid sick leave to critical infrastructure workers such as farmworkers. Are you utilizing any CARES Act funding to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the agricultural sector and ensure our food security, including by providing farmworkers with: job security, paid sick leave, hazard pay, improved transportation, living, safe working conditions that include social distancing, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other economic support to help farmworker families meet their basic needs?
   1. If so, how much money have you spent to directly support farmworkers on each of the aforementioned topics?
   2. How have you communicated to your workers that they have a right to sick pay under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)? How many of your workers have used it?
2. Has your company identified any major unmet needs of the farmworker community and what forms of federal assistance would be most helpful in meeting those needs?

Throughout the trajectory of this public health crisis, our farmworkers have remained committed to feeding our nation with minimal protection or assistance despite being deemed essential. Protecting farmworkers and their families should be seen as a crucial component to win our fight against this pandemic that has threatened the security of our workforce, the food security and economic foundations of our nation, and taken the lives of over 150,000 Americans. We look forward to receiving a prompt response to our questions and working together to ensure we all take the necessary actions to protect our farmworkers.

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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.