A berry growing company will pay $195,200 in civil penalties and costs after 27 harvesting workers were sickened by pesticides and chemicals in a 2017 drift incident. Employees of Reiter Berry Farms began applying pesticides to the Hartnell Ranch in Salinas at approximately 5:30 a.m. At around 6:30 a.m., a harvesting crew arrived at a neighboring farm and began harvesting berries. Within two hours, the harvesting crew began developing symptoms of pesticide exposure. Reiter Berry Farms self-reported the drift to the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office who investigated this incident and provided an opportunity to the District Attorney’s Office to pursue an action as a “priority investigation,” as it is required to do when five or more people become ill. Reiter Berry Farms cooperated with the District Attorney’s Office during its investigation of this matter and has agreed to a permanent injunction that requires them to provide all neighboring property owners and operators with 24 hours prior notice before beginning a pesticide application.