Agriculture groups in Washington state announced yesterday they are taking legal action against the State of Washington over recently renewed emergency COVID-19 regulations they say are ill-conceived, increase health risks to essential farm workers and pushing farmers out of business.
“After nearly a year of asking the state to work with the farm community to make needed adjustments to COVID-19 emergency regulations, they were renewed once again largely wholesale,” said John Stuhlmiller, chief executive officer of Washington Farm Bureau. “We’re disappointed we had to take this step. But our farms are on the line and we had no other choice.”
On Jan. 8, the Department of Health and Labor & Industries renewed emergency temporary farm worker rules for the third time with minimal changes from when emergency rules were first adopted last spring. The groups' appeals were also rejected by Gov. Jay Inslee. Farm leaders say many of the regulations for farmers are unworkable. The state has adjusted for other sectors, including schools and construction, that incorporate improved understanding of COVID-19 transmission and best practices.
One key point of contention is the state requirement for farmers to provide twice-daily medical visits to isolated farm workers with COVID-19 symptoms. Health care professionals in rural and isolated communities, who are currently being called upon to administer vaccinations, are not able to provide this level of care. Moreover, the state doesn’t provide this standard of care for its own congregate housing facilities. No other industry has this requirement.
“We want farm workers to get the medical care they need. But doctors--not the state--should direct the appropriate level of care,” added Stuhlmiller.
Other regulations called out in the suit include:
- Requiring 20-minute access to emergency services and one-hour access to an emergency room with a ventilator;
- Restricting occupancy of farm worker housing even after workers have been vaccinated;
- Allowing undefined non-essential “community workers” access to farms risks spreading COVID-19 in areas that are largely isolated and counter established medical guidance;
- Continually rolling over the same emergency regulations for the past year has essentially created permanent rules without following due process for farmers outlined in state statutes.
Farmers face steep financial penalties for not meeting these regulations.
In the coming season, 25,000 guest workers arrive due to a chronic labor shortage and then return to their home countries as part of the annual H-2A guest worker program. Farmers pay prevailing wages and provide licensed and inspected housing, transportation and personal protective equipment.
Many farmers have agreed to test workers upon arrival to congregate housing facilities and are calling on the state to support efforts to keep them quarantined on farms until they are vaccinated to limit possible COVID-19 community spread.
“Farmers cannot stay in business if they can only employ and house half their workforce even after they are vaccinated,” said Dan Fazio, executive director of wafla. “The state has worked with other industries to make reasonable adjustments. It’s unfortunate farmers have to ask a judge to be treated the same.”
For more information: 
Paul Bergman
wafla
Tel: +1 (206) 484-6734
paul@kingstonmarketing.group
https://www.wafla.org/
Bailey Moon
Washington Farm Bureau
Tel: +1 (360) 269-4022
bmoon@wsfb.com
https://wsfb.com/