COROANVIRUS IMPACT ON
THE AG INDUSTRY HERE
ON THE CENTRAL COAST.
ONE MILLION PIECES
OF PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
HAS BEEN COLLECTED
FOR LOCAL
FARMWORKERS...
IT IS A
COLLABORATION
BETWEEN THE 'GROWER
SHIPPER ASSOCIATION'
AND 'SALINAS VALLEY
MEMORIAL'.
IT COMES AS WE
LEARN THE PERCENTAGE
OF AGRICULTURE
WORKERS INFECTED WITH
COVID-19 ...CONTINUES
TO RISE.
ACTION NEWS EIGHT
REPORTER CHRISTOPHER
SALAS HAS THE STORY.
##
GOOD MORNING WE HAVE
LEARNED THERE ARE NOW 87
CONFIRMED CASES OF
COVID-19 AMONGST AG
WORKERS. THAT IS MORE
THAN A 1/3 OF TOTAL CASES.
IT HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED
WHY THEY WANT TO GET
THESE FACE MASKS OUT TO
THESE ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
07:12 "THIS IS JUS
REPRESENTATIVE OF TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF WHAT IS
OVERALL AN ORDER OF A
MILLION MASKS AND FACE
COVERINGS TO HELP PROTECT
THE WORKER." T1 TRACK 1
WHILE INDUSTRIES
RECREATE THEMSELVES
AMIDST THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC...
THERE IS NO ZOOM
MEETING OR
CONFERENCE CALL THAT
CAN SUBSITUTE HOW THE
COUNTRY GETS FED..
STAND UP 23:23 "OUT
HERE IN THE FIELDS OF THE
SALINAS VALLEY. THESE
ESSENTIAL WORKERS
CONTINUE TO WORK
TIRELESSLY IN CLOSED
QUARTERS TO ENSURE FOOD
GETS TO OUR TABLES, AND
OUR SHELVES REMAIN
STOCKED." T 2 TAKE 1
VALADEZ SAYS THAT IS
WHY THESE MASKS ARE
SO IMPORTNAT..
BUT THEY'RE JUST ONE
LINE OF DEFENSE.
GROWERS ARE
INCREASING SANITATION
STATIONS...
EDUCATING WORKERS...
AND IMPLEMENTING
SOCIAL DISTANCING
PROTOCOLS WHEN NOT
IN THE FIELDS..
08:30 "WE KNOW
EMPLOYERS ARE WORKING TO
EMPLOY AGRESSIVE
MEASURES."
T 3 TAKE 2
AGRICULTURAL WORKERS
NOW MAKE UP MORE
THAN A THIRD OF THE
COUNTY'S CONFIRMED
CASES.
TANIMURA AND ANTLE
AND TAYLOR FARMS HAVE
BOTH CONFIRMED THAT
AT LEAST ONE OF THEIR
WORKERS RESPECTIVELY
HAVE TESTED POSITIVE
FOR COVID-19..
THESE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS ARE THAT
MUCH MORE IMPORTANT
AS MONTEREY COUNTY'S
4 BILLION DOLLAR
INDUSTRY HAS LOST ITS
BIGGEST CUSTOMER..
RESTAURANTS...
A RECENT SURVEY
SHOWED 42 MONTEREY
COUNTY GROWERS
RECENTLY EXPERIENCED
LOSSES..
AND MORE THAN 2-
THOUSAND ACRES WERE
PLOWED OR COULDN'T BE
PLANTED..
06:10 "THERE WAS NO
RETAILER THAT MADE
DEMAND FOR THAT
PRODUCT." T4 TAKE 2
VALADEZ SAID THOSE
LOSS WON'T HAVE AN
IMPACT ON GROCERY
STORE SHELVES..
THE HEALTH OF THOSE
SUPPLY CHAINS DEPEND
SOLELY ON THE HEALTH..
OF THESE WORKERS.
06:52 "WE'RE NOT ABLE TO
INSURE CONTINUITY OF ANY
OPERATIONS UNLESS WE
HAVE A SECURE WORKFORCE
THAT'S SAFE AND WORKING
SAFELY IN DOING SO." AND
THE AG INDISTRY HAS ALSO
SECURED ALTERNATIVE
HOUSING TO ISOLATE THOSE
WORKERS WHO ARE EITHER
COVID-19 POSITIVE OR
EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS.
REPORTING IN SALINAS, I'M
CHRISTOPHER SALAS KSBW
ACTION NEWS EIGHT
SUNRISE. ##
