Keeping All Farm Employees Safe Due to the COVID-19 Epidemic

William Bourdeau is a CPA, he has a MBA, and he is Executive Vice President at Harris Farms in southwestern Fresno County.

Harris Farms is diversified operation farming almonds, pistachios and vegetable crops.

Bourdeau said it's important to keep all farm workers safe, particularly during these times. “We're doing everything we can to make sure that everyone is protected. And you know, we've had lots of different procedures put in place, but we also live out in a very rural remote area and it makes it easier. It makes it easier to social distance when you don't have neighbors. My house, my closest neighbor is one mile away,” Bourdeau said.

But even with that, they're still taking it very seriously “and making sure we're following all the recommended protocols,” Bourdeau said.

And when it comes to their field employees training is daily. “There's trainings. We have training daily reminding people of ways to stay safe, not just for COVID-19,but in general, we've had those kind of behaviors to make sure that we have a safe working environment. This just makes it a bigger focus, “ Bourdeau said.

In more news, the almond board this year launched a five point pollinator protection plan building upon the research and innovation almond farmers have supported since 1995.