Monterey County Protect Farmworkers from Wildfire Smoke

SALINAS – The Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Chairman Christopher Lopez,

Supervisor Luis Alejo, Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales, and

agricultural industry leaders came together to request N95 respirators for the essential

agricultural workforce. “This is the same group that created the Advisory for Agricultural

Worker Protection During COVID-19 Crisis on the Central Coast of California”, said Gonzales.

As a result of this request, the County secured 100,000 N95 respirators to protect this critical part

of our local workforce. This essential workforce feeds the state, the nation, and the world.

The partnership, including the Coastal Growers Association, Grower-Shipper Association of

Central California, Monterey County Farm Bureau, and the Monterey County Vintners &

Growers Association with County leaders, secured the N95 respirators through a request placed

with California's Office of Emergency Services. This week, the Monterey County Agricultural

Commissioner's Office distributed an existing stock of 10,000 N95 respirators to the agricultural

industry to help protect agricultural workers from wildfire smoke. Before this, the Agricultural

Commissioner's Office, in partnership with Supervisors and agricultural industry leaders,

distributed 2.4 million free surgical masks to protect the essential agricultural workforce from

COVID-19.

The additional, limited supply of respirators will be made available to agricultural businesses

through the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner's Office to support the industry's

measures to protect agricultural workers from wildfire smoke. Moreover, due to the wide-scale

shortage of N95 respirators, it is important to be mindful of best practices and practical

applications respecting the use and/or reuse of N95 respirators per Centers for Disease Control

guidance where supply chain shortages are resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

These respirators are being made free of costs to growers and farm labor contractors for their

essential agricultural workers.

Agricultural businesses can reach out to the Agricultural Commissioner's Office at 831-759-

7340 or at 281-PUE-Workstation@co.monterey.ca.us to request masks. Masks will be

apportioned based on need.

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