A nonfarmer, as well as a farmer, who has an employee engaged in the operations specified in section 13(b)(16) may take advantage of the exemption. Employees of contractual haulers, packers, processors, wholesalers, “bird-dog” operators, and others may qualify for exemption. If an employee is engaged in the specified operations, the exemption will apply “whether or not” these operations are “performed by the farmer” who has grown the harvested fruits and vegetables. Where such operations are performed by the farmer, the engagement by his employee in them will provide a basis for exemption under section 13(b)(16) without regard to whether the farmer is performing the operations as an incident to or in conjunction with his farming operations.