The Oregon National Guard handed out PPE today in Central Oregon, but it wasn’t for healthcare workers.
Farm owners, workers and ranchers lined up this morning in Madras to get masks and hand sanitizer.
Gov. Kate Brown directed the distribution of those items to the agriculture community.
The farmers who picked up the gear said it was a welcome delivery because masks have been hard to come by and they want to keep their workers safe.
There was also a pickup site for Deschutes County at the fairgrounds in Redmond.
More than 900,000 face coverings were scheduled to be delivered and distributed to agricultural and seasonal migrant workers throughout the state over the next few days.
The distribution is a collaborative effort between the Oregon Department of Agriculture, OSU Extension, and the Oregon National Guard.
Besides trying to provide enough PPE, the physical distancing rules have made it harder to move crews around fields and train workers.
