FRESNO, CA - Despite the challenging times across our industry, I continue to hear stories about struggles met with enormous amounts of support, communities coming together, and companies taking the initiative to keep the health of their teams top of mind. Fowler Packing is taking care of its family of team members this month by assembling and dispersing 1,250 grocery boxes for them and their families.

“We believe it is our people that make Fowler Packing so special,” CEO Justin Parnagian, shares with me. “We are so thankful for their hard work in helping to deliver the nation’s food supply, particularly during these stressful times. Our employees’ health and wellbeing has, and always will be, a priority for us.”

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, Fowler Packing felt the need to expand ways to help its employees during this incredibly difficult time. As an essential business, Justin tells me that Fowler’s employees have continued to show up to work while they face uncertainties and changes in their daily lives.

“Children are home, loved ones have lost their jobs, and the health of their families are always a concern of ours,” Justin expresses. “We wanted to support them in meaningful ways. We began with a wage increase and the following week we purchased, assembled, and dispersed those grocery boxes for our employees and their families. Our goal was to provide staple items for the family that may not be easily accessible due to work shifts and availability in grocery stores.”

The grocery boxes included bread, rice, beans, tortillas, apples, milk, and chicken breasts.

Fowler’s message to its employees is deep and meaningful: Their safety and well-being continue to be the company’s first priority and the team has implemented strict precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus while reinforcing those guidelines daily.

“We thank them for their relentless hard work during these difficult times,” Justin says. “We know that many of them have been grappling with changes in their daily lives and continue to show up to work, which is truly admirable. Because of their round-the-clock efforts, we have been able to continue supplying the nation with safe and healthy fruits.”

As an industry, we have to come together to feed America, Justin notes. The agricultural industry is essential and vital to the health and well-being of our nation.

“During these stressful times, we are quickly reminded what the true priorities are in life. We have a remarkable role as an industry to help families put nutritious foods on the table and support our local communities for those who can’t afford to do so,” he reflects.

Strategic investments happen at the heart level as much asat the bottom line. Thank you to all those companies engaging in the health of their teams, our industry, and the public at large!

Fowler Packing