Last week Thursday, the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council 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 Latinos.
"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", according to Goeff Hansen of the MGGC.
"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."
For more information:
Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council
120 N. Washington Square, Suite 1000
Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 367-2033
mggc.org