Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 1/19/21

Limited doses and a messy patchwork of state distribution plans have complicated efforts by labor advocates, meat processing companies and others seeking equitable access to vaccines for workers across the food industry, POLITICO’s Ximena Bustillo and your host report.

Just last week, New York decided at the last minute to drop farm food processing workers from its “phase 1b” rollout, after the state received fewer doses than anticipated. The decision drew swift pushback from major agricultural groups in the state, including the New York Farm Bureau, dairy processors and winemakers.

Biden has called for a $20 billion national vaccine program to replace the clunky state-by-state approach. But it’s unclear if his plan would address the specific needs of the ag workforce, which relies heavily on immigrants and seasonal foreign labor. (The incoming president is also counting on Congress to approve the money.)

In the meantime, advocacy groups are trying to bridge the gaps in the system. The nonprofit Migrant Clinicians Network maintains a database to help farmworkers who are frequently on the move — for example, by making sure they receive the correct second dose if they moved from one state to another in between vaccinations.

Not helping: Another challenge is misinformation and distrust fueled by social media, language barriers and the Trump administration’s harsh immigration policies, including its so-called public charge proposals. Fear of jeopardizing their legal status was one potential factor that deterred some agricultural workers from accessing vital health resources during the severe farm and factory outbreaks last spring and summer.

“Those concerns need to be secondary, and they weren’t this summer,” said Mónica Ramírez, president of the advocacy group Justice for Migrant Women. “I hope when it comes to vaccination people will set those concerns aside.”

Giant meatpacking firms are also making their own plans to directly immunize plant workers, who faced devastating outbreaks last year at slaughterhouses across the country.
— Processors like JBS and Tyson Foods are buying ultra-cold freezers to store vaccines, partnering with health clinic providers or working to educate employees about getting the shots.
— A spokesman for Smithfield Foods said it expects vaccines will be available to critical workers within 60 days. But once again, the situation varies by state.