Blueberry industry uses early planning to combat pandemic

The announcement by Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Nirav Shah on August 4 that a few migrant workers at Wyman's in Milbridge were confirmed positive for COVID 19 illustrates the challenges faced by the state's agricultural industries but also is a sign that protocols are working that were put in place with planning that started in March.
Wyman's President and CEO Tony Shurman explains, "Working closely with the Maine Mobile Health Program, a federally qualified health center, we've proactively put in place a strict and rigorous double testing protocol for every individual traveling to Maine prior to being hired for the season." Using this process, five cases were identified out of over 200 people who have been tested. "As soon as these cases were identified, immediate action was taken to move and isolate the individuals, and anyone traveling with them, into pre designated quarantine locations. While quarantined, they will be provided the personal and medical care they need, through our relationship with local public health officials, and they will still receive compensation."
The system for testing migrant workers the minute they arrive couldn't have gone any better, says Maine Wild Blueberry Commission Executive Director Eric Venturini. Maine Mobile Health conducted the rapid testing as part of its work with migrant agricultural populations. Maine CDC Communications Director Robert Long explains, "Testing of newly arrived agricultural workers is highly recommended. Maine CDC, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Maine Mobile Health and local partners have set up a program to do so and offer support while they await results."
When migrant agricultural workers arrive, Long explains, "A system is in place to test them all and provide quarantine and isolation space when they arrive. Maine contact tracers would collect information on all of their contacts, and Maine CDC does case investigations on any newly arrived agricultural worker who tests positive." He notes that Maine Housing and the Department of Health and Human Services arrange for temporary housing and other support services with funding from the CARES Act and refundable Federal Emergency Management Agency disbursements.

Planning for testing and public safety
Back in March when Maine and the nation suddenly realized that COVID 19 wasn't something to ignore, the commission, the blueberry industry, state government and social service agencies and organizations came together to plan for the harvest season later in the year. While the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission is usually working on research, promotion and policy work, this year was "a whole new world for us," Venturini says. Not only were the national and international markets changing with the pandemic, labor shortages were anticipated, and keeping farmers, workers and communities safe had to be added to the planning for the upcoming work season.
Shurman says, "Since March, we've been working with local government and public health experts to prepare for this year's harvest." He adds, "The proactive safety measures and pre employment testing processes are expansive to efforts we've had in place in our facilities for months, and the preemptive screening of these employees is working exactly as intended."
Maine has the largest commercial harvest of the tiny blue fruit in the world. Its harvest is an important economic engine, worth about $250 million to the state in direct and indirect revenue. "It's important to keep in mind that it's an iconic crop," says Venturini of the blueberry harvest. "It's extraordinarily important," he adds, especially because most of the harvesting is done Downeast where economic engines are most needed and most easily hurt if things go wrong.
At Wyman's, many of the seasonal workforce have returned to work with the company for the four to six week period, "year after year for many years, and all are a vital part of our broader employee family," says Shurman. "This will be a harvest season unlike any other. We only have one month to bring in the fruit that we'll sell for the next 12 months, and our goal from the start has been to do so as safely and effectively as possible."

Housing and raking protocols created
Harvesters are usually supplied housing by the companies they work for. The state has set up guidelines for how employers such as Wyman's should go about configuring the housing and the way rakers work in the field. The Maine CDC outlines the importance of creating household groups that are limited in number and that can be based on work units so that household members travel together and do not mix with other household groups. Within the housing, employers must create bed configurations that are at least six feet apart; minimize bunk bed use; install flexible plastic screens between beds where six feet distancing is not possible; consider installing plastic shields between side by side sinks in bathrooms; and encourage workers to use face masks whenever possible and particularly if interacting with other housing groups.
In the field, employers are required to set up an increased number of hand sanitation stations. Brian Altvater, board president of the Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company, notes that the company has set up far more stations than in the past. "It's quite different from what it used to be." Manager Darren Paul notes that Wabanaki Public Health has provided assistance with the station set up and other needs.

Labor shortages felt; hand-raking dying out
Anticipating that many seasonal workers would not be available to work the blueberry barrens and other agricultural harvests, the Maine Department of Labor and the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry formed the Farming for ME initiative. The state has faced labor shortages in its farming community for years, but the pandemic has exacerbated an already scarce resource. By connecting employers with potential employees through existing job platforms, the initiative hopes that openings can be filled while educating Mainers generally about opportunities in agriculture.
Mechanical harvesting has been growing as a tool used by the blueberry industry in the face of declining labor. The Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company has been hit hard by the pandemic, with the Canada/U.S. border closed. The tribe's company usually has around 250 rakers come from Canada every year, with camps set up for them, but this year the company decided not to open camps. "We couldn't keep them safe," explains Paul. Even if the company had set up the camps, "They can't get across [the border]," says Altvater. The company is relying on a crew of fewer than 50 day rakers.
Paul explains that the company, like the industry as a whole, is "turning to mechanical harvesting more and more," although the company will always try to provide jobs for tribal members who want them. "We used to employ 500 to 650 rakers." He adds, "Hand-raking is slowly dying out."