Press Release

North Carolina’s field and food processing workers face many barriers to accessing essential services, especially during times of emergency. Agricultural workers are particularly vulnerable in times like these because of isolation, language barriers, lack of transportation, and lack of connection to services in the community.

The NC Farmworker Advocacy Network (ncfan.org) asks you to join us in urging Governor Cooper to take critical action in support of one of our state’s most vulnerable and essential workforces – agricultural workers, so that these workers can be safe and continue to provide the necessary food and agricultural products on which our communities and state economy depends.

• Provide migrant farmworkers with access to healthcare services and other resources.
• Ensure migrant agricultural workers are not put at risk in their employer-provided housing.
• Ensure agricultural workers are able to protect themselves from exposure while working.
• Protect workers who get sick from retaliation. 
• Ensure H-2A farmworkers are able to enroll in the ACA, ensure Spanish interpretation for health information, and provide adequate PPE for healthcare workers serving agricultural workers. 

The agricultural community is one that is often overlooked and excluded from protections, so making sure their needs are considered in our state’s emergency planning is critical. By listing your organization, you agree to have your organization identified on this petition that we will share with Governor Cooper. You can also sign as an individual. If you would like to read the full letter to Governor Cooper, click here.

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Signatures

Neenu	Abraham
Marty	Aden
Veronica	Aguilar
Susan	Alan
Marina	Aleman
Elizabeth	Alley
Daisy	Almonte
Filogonia	Altamirano
Gladis	Alvarado
David	Ambaras
Sharon	Ambrose
Linsey	Amundson
Joy	Anderson Gallion
Derek	Anderson
Shel	Anderson
Demarcus	Andrews
Elinor	Angel
Meghan	Antol
Donald	Arabian
Elizabeth	Arant
Evelyn	Archer
Thomas	Arcury
Ruby	Arellano
Nicole	Arguedas Villalobos
Joan	Arnold
Taylor	Arnold
Greg	Arrington
Coby	Austin
William David	Austin
Rachel	Baker
Karen	Barfield
Sergio	Barojas
Andres	Barrera
Mary	Bass
Marian	Beane
Jennie	Belle
Roxana	Bendezu
Delfino	Benitez
Evan	Benz
JONELLE	BERKY MARABLE
Nadeen	Bir
melissa	black
Ana	Blackburn
Shawn	Blackwelder
Daniela	Blanco
David	Bland
Anne	Bleyman
Halena	Bohs
Katrina	Bond
Emilia	Boyette
Scott	Bradley
Teresa	Bratton
Johana	Bravo
macarena	bravo
Laura	Bray
Amber	Breckenridge
koehler	briceno
Frank	Bricio
Katie	Bricio
Carol	Brooke
Fiona	Brown
Taurean	Brown
Isaiah	Bryant
Kerry	Bullock-Ozkan
Matthew	Burawski
Candace	Burch
Bridgette	Burge
Hanan	Burka
Rebecca	Burmester
Jeremy	Burnison
Jessica	Burroughs
Emma	Burton
Yanneli	Bustos
Yesenia	Bustos
Yessie	Bustos
Leslie	Butterfield
Tia	Byers
Lindsey	Cable
Barbara	Cain
Bryan	Cambra
Gill	Campbell
Paul	Canady
Victor	Canales
Jennifer	Cardenas
Mary	Carloss
Donna	Carlton
Morton	Carpenter
Mary	Carroll
Debbera	Carson
Anne	Cassebaum
Ana	Castillo
Jared	Cates
Emma	Cathell
Philip	Chagnon
Linda	Chamiec-case
Chad	Chandler
Alex	Chao
jean	chapman
Alexandra	Chassanoff
Lennda	Chen
Paige	Christie
Natalie	Clark
Eleanor	Collins
Leckie	Conners
Lucia	Constantine
Jennifer	Copeland
Emilia	Cordero
Rachel	Cotterman
Anthony	Cottle
Jimmy	Creech
McKenna	Crockett
Victoria	Crouse
Lizette	Cruz Watko
Yesenia	Cuello
Riley	Cullen
Jorja	Cummings
Rabbi Robin	Damsky
Terry	David
Allison	Davidson
J. Mark	Davidson
Rev. Charles	Davidson
Laura Marie	Davis
Markie	Davis
Robyn	Dayton
Michael	DeMilia
Paula	Dempsey
Sheila	Denn
Jessenia	Diaz
Katherine	DÌ_az
Jenna	Dick
Joseph	Dipierro
Sandra	Doliner
Carey	Downey
Ilana	Dubester
Angeline	Echeverria
steven	edelstein
Sean	Edevane
Olivia	Edwards
Robert	Edwards
Obinna	Ejimofor
Blair	Engelken
Lavonne	Engelman
Gerardo	Esquivel
Irma	Esquivel
Irma	Esquivel
Sherry	Essig
Rachel	Evancavich
Adam	Farag
lin	farley
Bailey	Farrin
Ellie	Farrin
Deborah	Ferruccio
Ana	Figueroa
Cat	Flynn
S	Forbis
Angie	Forde
Ann	Foster
Laurie	Fox
Marian	Fragola
Patricia	Freeman
Karla	Frias
Kate	Furgurson
marvin	furman
Samantha	Galindo
Ron	Garcia-Fogarty
Amorita	Garcia
Ruby	Garcia
Yazmin	Garcia
Georgeanna	Gardner
Mary	Garrison
Edward	Garza
Connie	Gates
Martha	Geer
Quando	Gerst
Hannah	Gill
Tiz	Giordano
Anna	Giuli
rick	glazier
Frank	Glossl
William	Goldston
Jackeline	Gomez
Maria	Gomez
Phoebe	Gooding
Lourdes	Gouveia
Kaitlin	Grable
Kaitlin	Grable
Brooke	Graham
Rachel	Gray
James	Green
The Rev. Jody	Greenwood
Megan	Gregory
Chrissy	Griesmer
Alexandra	Griffin
Kate	Guthrie
Cristian	Gutierrez
Katie	Haberman
Syedah	Haider
Kathleen	Hannan
Jane	Hare
Kendall	Harkey
Sara	Harrington
Leora	Harris
Catherine	Hart
Laura	Hart
Martha	Hartley
Erin	Hazlett-Norman
Virginia	Hebert
Jolie	Herman
Claire	Hermann
Irene	Hernandez
Maria	Hernandez
Martha	Hernandez
Karen	Herpel
Elizabeth	Herrera
Maribel	Herrera
Margaret	Hickman
NANCY	HILLMER
Dan	Hockstein
Anne	Hodges-Copple
Wesley	Hogan
Katherine	Hoke
Taylor	Holenbeck
Robert	Hollister
Kathy	Huffstetler
Sam	Hummel
Natalie	Hyatt
Karina	Ibarra
Selena	Ibarra
Sandy	Irving
Kira	Jackson
Tia	Jackson
Merlene	Jai
Alric	James Jr
Allyson	James
Anna	Jefferson
Harrel	Johnson
Marlene	Johnson
Mary Jo	Johnson
Roxanne	Johnson
Wendy	Johnson
Cathy	Jones
Elaine	Jones
JaCairah	Jones
Philip	Jorgensen
Philip	Jorgensen
Nancy	Jose
Delia	Jovel
America	Juarez-Maldonado
Bethann	Jumper
Emily	Kader
Mary	Kambic
Sara	Kane
Kathy	Kaufman
Irene	Kennedy
Jillian	Kern
Lori	Khamala
Carole	Kimmel
Sherry	Kinlaw
Meredith	Kite
Kathy	Klein
Lora	Klein
Judith	Klinck
Pete	Knepper
robin	kohanowich
terry	krauss
Justin	Kretzschmar
Margaret	Krome-Lukens
Herb	Lamb
Jennifer	Langton
Luke	Largess
Monica	Lavery
Sam	Lee Jr
Bryan	Lee
Cole	Lee
Joseph	Lee
Daniel	Lewis
James	Leyden
Jackeline	Leyva
Maria	Lopez Gonzalez
Hector	Lopez
Jacqueline	Lopez
Maria	Lopez
Selina	Lopez
Michelle	Lozano Villegas
Jean Marie	Luce
Anthony	Macias
Jennifer	Mackenzie
Andreina	Malki
John	Mann
Shawn	Manning
Shelly	Maras
Amy	Marion
Marianne	Martinez
O	MartÌ_nez
Xaris	Martinez
Xaris	Martinez
Monika	Mason
Kristie	Mather
Nina	Mathis
Maria	Mayorga
Carley	McCready
Mark	McDonough
Jennifer	McGovern
John	McHenry
Elizabeth	McIntyre
Sarah	McIntyre
Lester & Patty	McKeel
RÌ_isÌ_n	McKeithan
Tim	McKeithan
Carleen	Mckenna
fedelma	mckenna
Anne	McLaughlin
Elizabeth	McMahon
Hannah	McQueen
Gilbert	Medina
Carmela	Meehan
Marbely	Mejia
Eliu	Mendez
Librado	Mendoza Sosa
Andrea	Mendoza
Bette	Meyer
Gerald	Meyer
Paulina	Millan
Madeline	Miller
Mary Beth	Miller
A	Mines
Margaret	Misch
Kelsey	Mischke
Emily	Moore
Lisa	Moore
Dana	Mora
Beckie	Moriello
Shauna	Morin
Romina	Muni
Juana	Munoz
Esther	Murphy
Kevin	Murphy
Elena	Nail
Elaine	Nell
Karina	Neyra
Sarah	Niegelsky
Ryan	Nilsen
Melissa	Nishikawa
Katherine	Nunez
John	O’Neal
Sofia	Ocegueda
Bianca	Olivares
Yvette	Ortiz
Yuridia	Otero
Alfredo	Oviedo
Sarah	Packer
Mary	Page
Maria	Panuco
Delency	Parham
Cole	Parke
John	Parker
Rachel	Parnell
Anne	Pass
Aston	Patrick
David	Perez
alice	perkins
Jason	Phebus
Adam	Pierce
Julie	Pittman
Terrence	Pittman
Alice	Pollard
Leyla	Ponterio
Andres	Porras Chaves
Paige	Prather
Brittany	Price
E.	Primm
David	Puryear
Maru	Quintero
Narayan	Rai
Andressia	Ramirez
Ariana	Ramirez
Robbim	Randolph
Benjamin	Rappaport
Lea	Ray
Ruth	Ray
Victoria	Ream
Dan	Rearick
Amber	Reavis
courtney	reid-eaton
Geneva	Reid
Phillip	Reid
Emily	Rhyne
John	Rich
Margaret	Richardson
Lisa	Richey
Monnie	Riggin
Sergio	Rios
Clermont	Ripley
Cristina	Rivera Chapman
Cris	Rivera
Frances	Rivera
Daniel	Robayo
Ashley	Robbins
Claire	Robinson
Mayra	Robles
Cayla	Rodney
Alyssa	Rodriguez-Finch
Idania	Rodriguez
Jessica	Rodriguez
Jorge	Rodriguez
Sandra	Rodriguez
Tara	Romano
Ofelia	Romero
Nancy	Rosebaugh
Theresa	Rosenberg
Reid	Russom
Caitlin	Ryland
Kathryn	Sabbeth
Jennifer	Salazar Sanchez
Mandy	Salinas
Gladys	Sanchez
Joanna	Sanchez
Joel	Sanchez
Estefane	Santiago-LÌ_pez
Miriam	Saxon
Fran	Schindler
Lloyd	Schmeidler
JULIE	SCHNEYER
Rachel	Scrudato
Jennifer	Segnere
Martha	Shafer
Janvika	Shah
Margaret	Shelton
Gloria	Shen
Soomin	Shin
Rebecca	Shisler
Sylvia	Shoemaker
Sharon	Shohfi
Rebecca	Showalter
Marcee	Silver
Lila	Singer
Danyelle	Smith
Deidra	Smith
karen	smith
Rev. Sarah	Smith
Seth	Smith
Aaron	Smithers
Art	Smoker
Andrew	Smolski
Kenia	Solano
ginna	solorzano
Karen	Soriano
Ada	Southerland
Kristin	Spell
Emily	Sprague
Jennifer	Standish
PATRICK	STAWSKI
Celisa	Steele
Barbara	Stenross
Philip	Stine
Paula	Stober
Jessica	Stokes
Rhyan	Stone
Themis	Stone
Casey	Strange
Christopher	Suggs
Jessica	Suncin-Acevedo
Adam	Svolto
Jennifer	Swaringen
Sarah	Sydney
Hope	Taylor
Ivey	Taylor
Julie	Taylor
Michael	Taylor
Penny	Tennian
Carol	Terwilliger
Adiam	Tesfaselassie
Justin	Thibodeaux
Rhonda	Thomas
Marnie	Thompson
lana	threlkeld
Luis	Toledo
Fabiola	Torres-Lara
Clarissa	Torres
Genesis	Torres
Bear	Tose
Kyle	Tremblay
Mary	Trumps
Christine	Turnbull
Emily	Turner
Elizabeth	Upchurch
Nathalie	Uriarte-Ayala
Diana	Urieta
Daniel	Valdez
Laura	Valdez
Quirina	Vallejos
Katie	Van Houten
Josh	Van Kampen
Delaney	Vandergrift
Kate	VanVorst
Denise	Varela
Denise	Varela
Roberto	Varela
susan	vebber
Angelica	Velis
Eileen	Vella
Lior	Vered
Brittany	Vesey
Rector and	Vestry
Gianna	Vincent
Jossa	Viveros
Cheryl	Waechter
Cheyenne	Wagi
D	Wagner
Daryl	Walker
Kate	Walker
Lauren	Walker
Jonathan	Wall
Lynne	Walter, MSW
Abi	Warmack
Donald	Washington
Jasmine	Washington
Elizabeth	Waters
Christopher	Watson
Carroll	Webber
Spencer	Weig
Deborah	Weissman
Joanna	Welborn
Morgan	Welch
Lynn	Weller
Anne	Wells
John Richard	Weston
Leona	Whichard
Alix	Wicker
Brooks	Wicker
Melinda	Wiggins
Mary	Wilder
Liz	Wildermann
Audrey	Williams
Damon	Williams
Gregory	Williams
Sonja	Williams
Sonja	Williams
Susan	Williams
Claire	Williamson
Arcade	Willis
Robert	Willis
Julie	Wilson
Doug	Wingeier
Liv	Woodford
Stephanie	Yancy
Blair	Yates
Peter	Yodzis
Amy	Yoon
Julia	Young
Kathy	Zaumseil
LETICIA	ZAVALA
Yolanda	Zavala
Irving	Zavaleta
Ramon	Zepeda
Cerina	Ziemke

Dear Governor Cooper and Secretary Cohen,

Thank you for your letter responding to the Farmworker Advocacy Network’s (FAN) March 31, 2020 letter asking the state to take urgent action to protect agricultural workers in North Carolina from COVID-19. We are disappointed with the response and that you did not meet with us to discuss our concerns.  During the two months between when we sent our letter and you responded, thousands of farmworkers arrived in North Carolina and outbreaks started happening at migrant labor camps. 

In our letter we acknowledged that NC DHHS has published helpful guidance for migrant housing providers and agricultural employers but expressed our concern that this unenforceable guidance was not sufficient to protect our state’s agricultural workforce.  It is frustrating, therefore, that your response to us simply directed our attention back to this guidance.  

Agricultural workers experience high levels of wage theft and other workplace violations even when there are legal requirements in place. Migrant farmworkers are one of the most marginalized and isolated groups of essential workers in the state, predominantly people of color and non-English speaking immigrants. They cannot count on their employers and housing providers to voluntarily comply with guidance to take the necessary steps to protect their health during this pandemic and they lack the power to insist such guidance is followed themselves.

There are additional concerns that FAN members have witnessed over the last few months that we think it is important for your offices to understand.

Barriers to testing and follow-up care

• Some employers are refusing to provide transportation for workers to get tested and/or get medical care. Outreach workers are not equipped to transport symptomatic workers to get tested and/or medical care. They have not been able to get medical providers to go to migrant labor camps to do large-scale testing.  Some camps have more than 80 people living in them and it makes more sense to bring the testing to them.
• Some hospitals / health departments are refusing to test farmworkers, even when they are identified as being on the NC DHHS priority list due to their congregate living settings. Some workers have had to travel to other counties in order to get tested. Workers have been turned away from hospitals when seeking testing after 5:00 p.m. when most community clinics in rural farmworker areas are closed.
• Some hospitals / health departments are not asking patients about the type of work they do or their housing, which means they are most likely not following relevant reporting protocols or guidance and thus leading to an undercount of infected farmworkers.
• Some hospitals / health departments are refusing to test multiple people in one household if one person is COVID-positive, which means that household members who are presumed positive but work in different locations may not trigger needed isolation or quarantine measures.
• Tests can cost as much as $350, which is unaffordable to farmworkers.
• There is a lack of interpretation available both when seeking diagnosis and in follow-up.

Worker fear and confusion

• Many H-2A workers do not want to report their symptoms or get tested because they are afraid that if it comes back positive it will cause trouble for their employer by triggering a  requirement for a large portion of the labor camp to be isolated and because they fear they will be singled out and face retaliation.  Some workers report considering abandoning their own employment rather than be the worker responsible for creating upheaval and risking their family members’ and co-workers’ jobs with the same employer.
• Workers are reporting that, even if they have symptoms, they hide them and work anyway because they cannot afford to miss a day’s worth of income. Employers are not paying sick leave when needed. The language the workers hear from their employers about the pandemic is threatening rather than reassuring.  The message is that if someone in the labor camp gets sick, everyone is going to lose work and income. Employers, of their own volition, are not addressing any worker misinformation or fear. We are not aware of any agricultural employer group or association that has published a public statement in Spanish reassuring workers that they are eligible for paid COVID-19 leave, and will not face reprisal in North Carolina for reporting symptoms, seeking care, or following a doctor’s orders related to COVID-19 to combat these dangerous fears and messaging.
• Some workers have a false sense of security about being safe from coronavirus because they have not heard of many farmworkers getting sick. While other workers report hearing rumors about workers who got sick, sought care, and were never seen again – leading to more insecurities and fear. The lack of public data available regarding farmworkers and COVID-19 at labor camps and their agricultural work sites reinforces these dangerous narratives. There are so many small agricultural employers, growers and farm labor contractors, that are breaking rules and need more oversight. Many workers report that they are not being provided any sort of PPE and are unable to physically distance while working and traveling between their work sites and their homes.

Recommendations

We continue to encourage the Governor to address the concerns and implement the recommendations from our March 31 letter. Below are additional recommendations based on what we have witnessed over the last two months. 

1. Issue an Executive Order, as has been done by governors of other states including Wisconsin and Michigan, to make compliance with public health guidelines such as those developed by NC DHHS mandatory and enforceable. North Carolina has the 6^th largest farmworker population in the nation, yet we have not taken measures to protect this significant workforce. Farmworkers, agricultural employers and migrant housing providers need to have requirements instead of guidelines in order to motivate them to comply with NC DHHS, OSHA and CDC guidance. Governor Cooper’s Executive Order 131 established required policies for retail establishments.  Agricultural workers need at least as much protection as retail workers. 

2. It is urgent that more accurate and transparent information about the number of COVID-19 positive cases associated with migrant farmworker housing and agricultural worksites is collected and shared.  Based on reports from FAN members, we believe that there are outbreaks at more than 30 farms in 25 counties, including at a migrant labor camp that has capacity to house close to 500 workers.  For the reasons mentioned above about lack of access to testing and reluctance to get tested, we believe the number of camps and worksite with unconfirmed COVID-19 cases is much higher. The current reporting on the NC DHHS COVID dashboard is not adequate both because it is simply reporting on a point in time, but also because by limiting the reporting only to migrant labor camps with more than 10 people and to cases that originated in the labor camps, it is not broad enough to demonstrate the real magnitude of the problem. As a result, stories about farmworkers actually getting tested, seeking care and benefits, surviving quarantine and returning to work, and not getting fired are not normalized.  Additionally, without this information, health care providers and advocates cannot safely assist workers to overcome misinformation and barriers to care and testing in their service areas.  The congregate living data should include reporting specific to migrant housing and NC DHHS should be reporting more broadly about total agricultural worksites affected and worker cases beyond the congregate living data.

3. Testing needs to be free and more widely available, ideally at labor camps or other locations that are more accessible than health clinics and hospitals. Testing and follow-up care need to be culturally competent with Spanish interpretation available and more evening hours. More regular testing and better communication from NCDHHS about what testing means would normalize it and make farmworkers more comfortable with it.  Governor Cooper’s Executive Order 143, “Addressing the Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Communities of Color” provides for more access to testing, but it makes no mention of agricultural workers. Agricultural workers and the particular occupational hazards they encounter certainly need to be included in the work that happens as a result of the EO.  We would like the opportunity to recommend someone for the newly created Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Taskforce who is from a farmworker community or someone who can provide meaningful input based on their direct knowledge about the unique experience of farmworkers. We have heard reports within the last few days of Latinx workers still being turned away from hospitals when requesting testing.

4. Where employers are not following guidance issued by NC DHHS and outbreaks are occurring, we encourage Secretary Cohen to use her enforcement authority under N.C. Gen. Stat. §130A-17 through 130A-20 to protect employees from dangerous workplaces.

5. Finally, although it is not directly related to the pandemic, we cannot underscore enough the need for the state to be planning and preparing now for how it will handle evacuation and sheltering of farmworkers, especially farmworkers in isolation or quarantine, in case it is necessitated by a natural disaster this hurricane season. Hurricane shelters and evacuation routes can easily become hotspots for COVID-19 outbreaks. A COVID-informed emergency plan is desperately needed.

We also note that we have not yet received a response to our May 8 letter about the magnifying crisis within meat and poultry processing plants. Many of the recommendations in this letter apply equally to that industry, such as the urgent need for mandatory requirements and the benefit of better reporting. 

We again request to meet with you and request that we receive a timely response that is responsive and appropriate to our concerns and the gravity of the situation. Please contact Anna Jensen, FAN Coalition Coordinator, at 919-915-9990 or annaj@ncfwp.org and/or Clermont Ripley, coordinator of FAN’s Advocacy team, at 919-856-2154 or clermont@ncjustice.org, to discuss how we can carry this important work forward and ensure that farmworkers are not needlessly put in harm’s way.

Sincerely, 
The North Carolina Farmworker Advocacy Network

RALEIGH (May 8, 2020) – Workers, advocates, and policy experts called on state officials this morning to contain the spread of COVID-19 in poultry and meat processing facilities and take some simple but urgent measures to keep them, their families, and their broader communities safe. 

COVID-19 cases continue to rise in essential industries throughout the state such as meat and poultry processing, putting millions of workers – especially workers of color – at risk. Forced to work shoulder-to-shoulder without access to adequate, or in some cases, any protective gear, workers across dozens of essential worksites are contracting and dying from COVID-19.

Sofia and Gregoria, who both worked at Case Farms in Morganton, described being given a single, thin mask to use for months at a time. “We have to pay for food, we have to pay for rent, and so we can’t miss work,” Sofia said. 

Gregoria ended up leaving the plant in early April. “I left because I was really fearful, panicked knowing there were people that were infected and the plant didn’t want to say anything. They have families, they have children,” she said. “Where is the social distancing for the workers? Where is the safety and security?”

Most workers do not have paid sick time or adequate healthcare, most do not have health insurance, and after years earning low wages, they have little reserves to enable them to leave steady employment. 

“Meatpacking and poultry workers are at the frontlines of this pandemic – these workers are putting their lives on the line every day,” said Andre Barnett with UFCW 1208, the nation’s largest food processing union, which represents workers at Smithfield Foods in Tar Heel. “More than ever, companies must be held accountable. It’s not about politics but about the safety of workers.” 

“Safety has to come first at the workplace. Since COVID-19, we don’t feel safe,” said Ella Ellerbe, a worker at Smithfield. “Keep me out of there until they guarantee they’re going to test people, keep us 6 feet apart, give us PPE, and protect us.”

There have been more than 800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at plants across the state. In the past few weeks, there have been outbreaks at both poultry and pork processing plants, such as Smithfield, where workers in Tar Heel and Clinton have reported unsanitary conditions and a rising number of COVID-19 cases, yet they have no paid sick days. 

“This is an industry whose profits are billions of dollars,” said Hunter Ogletree with the Western North Carolina Workers’ Center, regarding the poultry and meat industry. “We are not asking them to stop providing food for our country, we are asking them to take simple but urgent measures. This is not a binary choice. They have the ability to both provide production and food for our country and protect their workers.”

Meanwhile, those who are being forced to miss work need financial support and are being left out of recent federal bills. Instead of responding to the crisis in meat and poultry processing by requiring essential industries to adopt these guidelines as mandatory, the Trump administration used the National Defense Production Act to make it easier for meat and poultry processors to avoid protecting their workers from the coronavirus, even if conditions are unsafe and unsanitary and contribute to the spread of COVID-19. 

“As part of America’s industrial food chain, these companies will do everything they can to keep the lines running, no matter the cost to workers,” said Angela Stuesse, an Associate Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill. “As long as this industry is permitted, they’ll put profit over people. Many knew about outbreaks for weeks before telling their employees. This industry will not regulate itself.”

In a new letter, advocacy groups are asking leaders to take steps to protect those who have been working throughout the pandemic, and enact rules requiring meatpacking and other essential employers to follow guidance on workplace safety and protect their employees from COVID-19. 

“North Carolina’s leaders, as well as the poultry and meat processing industry, have a moral obligation during this time of crisis not only to its workers but also to the public health of all communities in NC,” the letter reads.

If state officials fail to adopt these measures, efforts to re-open the economy will trigger a second and likely third wave of infections before the year is done — just another reminder that the economy is made up of people, and sick people can’t help employers stay afloat.

“We can’t risk workers’ lives for burgers, bacon, and blue jeans,” said MaryBe McMillan, President of the NC State AFL-CIO. “If we want to stop future waves, our Department of Labor and other elected officials must step up and protect the health of workers and our communities.”A recording of this morning’s press event is available upon request. Email julia@ncjustice.org.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Allan Freyer, allan@ncjustice.org; Clermont Ripley, clermont@ncjustice.org; Julia Hawes, julia@ncjustice.org

Community members, agricultural workers, and advocates share their concerns about what happens when essential workers do not get essential protections.

Contact information:
Lior Vered
Toxic Free NC
909.919.6691
lior@toxicfreenc.org

DUNN, NC (April 18, 2020) – Members of the Farmworker Advocacy Network, their partner organizations, and other individuals are calling on Governor Cooper to take critical action in support of agricultural workers in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The first confirmed and suspected farmworker cases of COVID-19 have already appeared in NC, making it urgent that Governor Cooper acts quickly. The coalition will present testimony from workers; faith leaders, including Bishop Anne Hodges-Copple of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina; and advocates in a Zoom press conference on Tuesday, April 21, at 6:00 pm.

Speakers will address concerns for the health and safety of agricultural workers amid the pandemic. North Carolina’s field and food processing workers face many barriers to accessing essential services, especially during times of emergency. Agricultural workers are particularly vulnerable during this pandemic because language barriers, a lack of transportation, and a lack of connection to services in the community leaves them isolated from resources. Because migrant agricultural workers live in group housing, usually travel to and from work in shared transportation like buses, and work closely next to each other in the fields, “social distancing” is not something they can choose to do, leaving them at constant risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

“Farmworkers are not just essential workers; they are essential parts of our community,” said Dr. Lior Vered, a policy advocate at Toxic Free NC. “They provide us with nourishment, and they deserve essential rights and protections to ensure they are not put at risk as a result of their work. We urge Gov. Cooper to take action and protect the people that bring food to our tables. The agricultural community is one that is often overlooked and excluded from protections, so making sure their needs are considered in our state’s emergency planning is critical.”

The Coalition is calling on Gov. Cooper to:

• Provide migrant farmworkers with access to healthcare services and other resources
• Ensure migrant agricultural workers are not put at risk in their employer-provided housing
• Ensure agricultural workers are able to protect themselves from exposure while working
• Protect workers who get sick from retaliation
• Ensure H-2A farmworkers are able to enroll in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), ensure Spanish interpretation for health information, and provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers serving agricultural workers

Advocates are inviting the community to join their efforts by signing an online petition and making contributions to a farmworker organization of their choice.

The Farmworker Advocacy Network is a statewide network of organizations that works to improve the living and working conditions of farmworkers and poultry workers in North Carolina.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Julia Hawes, julia@ncjustice.org; Clermont Fraser Ripley,clermont@ncjustice.org.