Last week Thursday, the board met to discuss the opportunity to join with Michigan Farm Bureau and several Michigan Commodity organizations in a lawsuit against the State of Michigan, the Governor and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for their Emergency order on employee testing in the agriculture setting. It was decided that MGGC would join the lawsuit financially and as a plaintiff in the case. The case will be entered under the Equal Protection Claus of the Constitution as they are singling out farmworkers who have a high percentage of Latino’s. The farmworkers have a just cause and are asking for action to be taken. There are over 100 farmworkers ready to file a complaint to the State Civil Rights Commission. Ours is the only industry targeted with this action even though there has not been a significant outbreak in the industry lately. Greenhouse growers have followed the CDC guidelines and made sure our workers have been protected.
This does not mean you don’t have to have your plan ready August 10, 2020 (today) or complete the testing requirements by August 24. This will take time and hopefully we will be able to stop this overreach by the state. If you have any questions, please reach out to Cindy at 517-367-2033, cindy.ray@sbam.org or me at 231-301-4888, mainstreet@sbam.org .
I have been notified that all the funding needed is in place, and we will move forward with the suit. I will keep you up to date as I hear more.
Goeff Hansen
MDHHS Order on COVID19 Testing
By August 10 (TODAy), all agricultural and greenhouse operations are expected to have a plan in place to complete the testing, if they have 20 or more employees on one shift. We recommend that all greenhouses go ahead and develop this plan now, it does not have to be implemented until you are at the 20 employee criteria.
The suggested template for your plan is available for download here:
Further guidance on the order can be found in this document issued by Michgan Department of Human and Health Services.
Author: Cindy Ray
Cindy has years of experience in association management and administrative support.
