Labor Department Fines Farms for Substandard Housing and Unpaid Wages
The owners of two Northern California mushroom farms, sites of a fatal mass shooting in 2023, will pay over $450,000 in back wages and damages to 62 workers, the Department of Labor announced Monday. The announcement follows investigations into labor violations at California Terra Gardens and Concord Farms, both located in Half Moon Bay.
Substandard Housing and Wage Theft Violations
The farms’ owners have been cited for illegally deducting money from workers’ pay for housing them in substandard conditions. This includes cramped cargo containers, garages, dilapidated trailers, and in the case of Concord Farms, a moldy greenhouse infested with insects and surrounded by trash. The Labor Department also assessed a $70,000 civil penalty for these violations.
Deadly January 2023 Shootings
The investigation comes after a farmworker, Chunli Zhao, allegedly killed seven people in a shooting spree on January 23rd, 2023. Zhao, who previously worked at both farms, has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The shooting spree first targeted California Terra Gardens, where four employees were killed and one injured. Zhao then drove to Concord Farms, his former workplace, and fatally shot three more people.
California Terra Gardens: Specific Violations
Federal investigators found that California Terra Gardens, owned by Xianmin Guan and Liming Zhu, housed 39 workers in unacceptable conditions. These employees endured cramped cargo containers, garages, and dilapidated trailers with only filthy mattresses for furniture.
Concord Farms: Similar Housing Violations
Concord Farms, owned by Grace Tung, housed its workers in makeshift rooms within a greenhouse. Federal officials described these living quarters as moldy, infested with insects, and lacking proper sanitation.
