Cherries looking heavy; health, economy, education weigh on harvest
By Tom Peterson
If collectively harvesting 10,000 acres of cherries was not enough, Wasco County orchardists are now stretching to meet new Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards brought on by COVID-19.
Millions hang in the balance both in dollars and cherries as the race to harvest and get to market is estimated to begin the first week of June. Orchardists and community leaders, like others around the state, are pushing optimistically ahead to address needs for safety, education and preserving the historic agricultural economy.
The some 4,000 laborers that will swell our area are just part of the 174,000 migrant and seasonal farmworkers and related family members that support Oregon’s multi-billion dollar agricultural industry, according to Oregon.gov.
The cherry harvest alone represents millions in local revenue and jobs for locals as well as migrants.
LOOKING GOOD IN THE STRUGGLE
While nature delivered us COVID-19, it also put quite a few cherries on the trees.
“As far as the season goes, we’re expecting a high-quality crop from the start,” said James Michael of Northwest Cherry Growers in a news release from Hazel Technologies Inc.
Dana Meyer of High Rolls Ranch on Skyline Road in The Dalles and Lorrie Fricke of Polehn Farms reported that shucks are coming off and the underlying fruit looks good thus far.
“If we can get it off and get it to market, that’s great,” Meyer said.
But preparing for the season has been rough, said husband Dave Meyer with Rolling Hills. Supplies from toilet paper to cleaning products have been more difficult to attain for the influx of coming workers. Planting supplies and other supply-chain problems are changing the pace. And the extra care it takes from administering new rules to double shopping together with his wife just takes more time when the family farm is at its busiest. They have some 150 acres of trees in production this year and 90 to 110 pickers coming at the end of this month.
NEW RULES AND A POCKET
Orchardists are also having to be inventive as new housing rules are reducing capacity for workers.
Early last week, Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood laid the groundwork for the new guidelines for Orchardists that will become law on May 11 and June 1.
Rules stemmed from several impetus - the first being a letter from the Oregon Law Center, which provides free legal help to low income Oregonians. It requested additional safety measures. In addition, Wood noted that Stemilt Ag Services, based in Wenatchee, Wash., reported that 36 of 71 workers living in its labor housing tested positive for COVID-19 on April 21. All 36 were asymptomatic - meaning they did not show symptoms of the virus. That news has not fallen on deaf ears.
North Central Public Health District Officer Dr. Miriam McDonell said this morning she was aware of that report but regarded it a pocket and not indicative of workers coming to The Dalles. She said the unified command team in Wasco County and its partners Mid-Columbia Medical Center and One Community Health have been preparing for this annual population bulge. She said hotels would be used in the event orchard workers need to be quarantined outside an orchard. Social services such as food delivery as well as tele-medicine from orchards will also be available.
BING, BING, BING, OSHA CALLED
At the federal level, OSHA recently released the following updated rules for orchardists in the wake of COVID-19.
Labor Housing
Orchardists must provide one toilet per 10 people, unless they can demonstrate a lack of availability.
Prohibition of bunk beds with unrelated workers. Beds must be separated by 6 feet, otherwise have an impermeable barriers separating them.
Hand washing stations and toilets must be sanitized twice daily.Orchardists provide cleaning supplies.
Immediate reporting of COVID-19 cases, day or night.
Orchardists are required to provide those suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 with isolated housing with food and water.
Transportation
1. Three feet social distancing in employer-provided vehicles.
2. Facial coverings must be worn by passengers.
3. Vehicles must be sanitized twice daily.
Field Sanitation
Orchardists must appoint a social distance officer to ensure that workers have six feet of separation.
The ratio of both toilet and hand-washing stations in the field must be one to 10 workers, unless they can demonstrate lack of availability. Previously it was one facility to 20 workers. They must also be sanitized three times per day.
Toilets and wash stations shall be located at the entrance or exits of fields or in a harvested area, whichever is closer.
GETTING AFTER IT
“We’re getting our orchardists prepared,” said Wade Collins with Columbia Gorge Affordable Portable. “We’re doubling what we normally put out there.” Collins, on a hunch of a big fire season, did a large order of extra port-a-potties last summer, including trailers so they can be easily moved from field to field. He also is expecting another 200 hundred hand washing stations.
He tripled his order for sanitizer, toilet paper and paper towels before the virus broke out. “I’ll never mock him again for being a hoarder,” said office administrator Karen Carlin.
Collins is still taking customers and is aiming to hire another full-time employee to keep up with the additional toilet services. They will need to be cleaned and emptied every other day.
TAKING THE TEMPERATURE
Polehn farms has added to their stock of safety equipment, including thermometers to be used to check employee temperatures. Plexiglass sneeze guards are also being installed on the sorting lines in the packing house, Safety Compliance Officer Lorrie Fricke said. They typically hire a crew of 340 for harvest. “I personally ordered gator masks and bandanas, but a lot of our pickers already cover up when they are out there.”
MIGRANT EDUCATION
Migrant workers rely on the migrant education program administered by Columbia Gorge Education Service District. Some 400 to 500 students then have a place to learn while their parents are working in the fields. Orchardists have contributed to the cost of that program in recent years.
“That is something they are highly dependent on,” said Jonathan Fost, migrant education director. “It’s for the safety of the kids while the families are working,”
With an early harvest start and schools currently closed until July, there is no current facility to house the school, Fost said. It is typically run at one of The Dalles elementaries. Fost is working with orchardists on the problem and will have a plan together in weeks to come.
He said his group started a distance education pilot program at Orchard View Farms and McClaskey Orchard last year. With the use of Chromebooks, it may be expanded. He said meals would also be provided to students.
“Ontario (Oregon) is planning to do an all-digital format,” he said. “They harvest late in May.”
FINAL NOTE
North Central Public Health District Officer Dr. McDonell said locals should know they are in a “good place to live.”
“We have a ton of testing done. We feel really confident. Anybody that has symptoms can get a test, and anyone on the front lines can get a test.”
As of today, May 4, Wasco County has 13 positive cases, 639 negative cases and one death.
