Local Farm Receives NC DOL Award
Local Farm Receives NC DOL Award
From Staff Reports Mar 13, 2020
Harris Farms of Warren County, operated by Paul Harris, was among four growers in the state to be recognized during the N.C. Department of Labor’s 26th Annual Gold Star Growers Meeting held earlier this month at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh.
According to the N.C. Department of Labor website, the Gold Star Grower Program is administered through its Agricultural Safety and Health Bureau of the Occupational Safety and Health Division. The program honors growers who provide farmworker housing that meets and exceeds all requirements of the Migrant Housing Act of North Carolina.
The standards are required by law and are used during annual inspections performed by the Department of Labor’s Agricultural Safety and Health Bureau.
Harris Farms received the Best Maintained Housing-East Award. Other growing operations that received housing awards were located in Stokes, Harnett and Edgecombe counties.
Awards were presented by Occupational Safety and Health Division Director Kevin Beauregard and employees of the Agricultural Safety and Health Bureau.
According to the Department of Labor website, in order to achieve Gold Star recognition, growers must register farmworker housing with the Agricultural Safety and Health Bureau and have the local health department inspect and approve the water and septic systems at least 45 days before occupancy. In addition, housing must be fully in compliance with the Migrant Housing Act of North Carolina at the time of the pre occupancy inspection, and improvements must be made to go beyond those requirements.