Oregon Statewide Mask Mandate

Governor Brown announced the return of a statewide public indoor mask mandate effective Friday, August 13^th. View Governor’s mask fact sheet here. The rule applies to all indoor locations regardless of physical distancing and vaccination status. The mask requirement is not required for private homes, private transportation when not used for ridesharing, and private individual workspace with a closed door.

OR-OSHA has published an official temporary rule. The rule states that employers (persons responsible for the indoor space) must:

Ensure that employees, contractors and volunteers comply with the mask mandate
“Make reasonable efforts” to ensure customer, guests, visitors comply with the rule
Post signs at every entrance to the indoor space. Note: OHA Model sign attached and here. You can also make your own.

The rule also indicates that an individual OR person responsible for an indoor space/employer is subject to civil penalties of up to $500 per day per violation. OR-OSHA has filed an enforcement advisory memo which can be found here. OR-OSHA will be the primary employer enforcer and they will rely on their penalty matrix. View OR-OSHA penalty matrix here.

OR-OSHA COVID Rules / OHA Resources

Due to the fluidity of the pandemic and changing guidance, we encourage our members to visit the OR-OSHA COVID-19 page for current requirements and guidance. Click here to access the page.

For information from the Oregon Health Authority regarding masks, vaccines and other items, click here.

Wheat Industry amid COVID-19

The safety of our farms, farmers, grain handlers, truckers and employees is paramount. The agriculture community and industry are taking the extra steps necessary to address safety due to COVID-19.

We recognize that we must continue operations in order to ensure a steady supply of wheat to market. The agriculture industry has always done business on a handshake. Our industry works tirelessly to produce top quality crops on our local farms, and now we are called upon to work even harder to get our crops to market.

While COVID-19 changes the physical interactions and mechanics of the wheat industry, it does not change our fundamental practices and values. The agriculture community has been built on relationships from the beginning of time. While we must all do our part to reduce exposure through measures that limit the avenues of transmission, we also will retain our commitments to one another.

In order to have wheat to supply, we need to assure that our farms can continue to employ agriculture workers to support planting of the spring crop, irrigation, servicing machinery, and other farm operations. There is not an option for delaying this work: mother nature does not wait for us. If we do not have the labor to plant and tend to our crops, we will not have wheat to harvest in July and August.

We value what our members and farmers contribute to our wheat industry and greatly appreciate your support. We are all in this together. We urge all of our members to implement logical, common-sense practices to reduce transmission, thereby keeping more people safe and making the public health response the most effective it can be.