By Khalida Sarwari
More than 70 Santa Clara County employees this afternoon picked up boxes of organic fruits and vegetables plucked from a farm in Salinas and they didn’t even have to get in their cars and leave work to do it.
The employees signed up to receive the produce boxes through Community Supported Agriculture, a county program that promotes employee wellness by bringing produce from local farms directly to workers on a weekly basis.
Board of Supervisors President Ken Yeager had the idea for the program. While observing employees line up to take a box outside of the County Government Center this afternoon, Yeager said he was excited about the turnout on the first day of the program.
Yeager said employee wellness initiatives increase productivity and can ultimately lower health care-related costs.
“I know that many employees don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and farm eggs,” he said. “I hope that this will make it easier for them to plan healthier meals for their families and avoid fast foods.”
In between unloading boxes from a van, Juan Perez, who manages a 5-acre farm with his family in Salinas, said by buying the produce boxes directly at their worksite, employees benefit by saving time and money.
The program does not require funding or subsidies from the county. A box of carrots, strawberries, broccoli, potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, string beans, celery, lettuce and basil costs $23. The money goes toward paying for farm costs, Perez said.
Earlier today, Yeager and Public Health Department officials held a news conference to announce the release of a health profile report that examines the health of county residents.