Plight of the Farmworker - Episcopal Farmworker Ministry

1. United States
Farmworker Factsheet
Farmworkers are some of our nation’s most vital workers, as their labor
enables us to enjoy high quality, low-cost, fresh fruits and vegetables all
year round. Despite farmworkers’ economic and cultural contributions to the
communities where they live and work, they continue to be the some of the
lowest paid, least protected, and unhealthiest workers in the United States.
Overview Farmworkers “Agricultural
of Farm Work Demographics Exceptionalism”
Agricultural labor includes planting, There are two to three million Farmworkers were excluded from
cultivating, harvesting and preparing farmworkers in the United States.2 nearly all of the major federal labor
crops for market or storage.1 laws passed in the 1930s. Some of the
The states with the highest laws have been amended to include
Migrant farmworkers travel from farmworker population are California, workers on large farms, but exemptions
place to place to work in agriculture Texas, Washington, Florida, Oregon, remain in the following laws:
and move into temporary housing and North Carolina.3
while working; seasonal farmworkers Labor organizing: Farmworkers were
work primarily in agriculture, but live Nearly 80% of farmworkers are male, excluded from the National Labor
in one community year-round.1 and most are younger than 31.4 Relations Act of 1935, which protects
workers acting collectively to form
Farmworkers are usually employed by Most farmworkers are married and/or unions.
farm owners or by “crew leaders,” have children; yet almost six out of
Minimum wage: The Fair Labor
who serve as intermediaries between ten farmworkers live apart from their
Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) originally
growers and workers. immediate family members.4 excluded all farmworkers, and was
amended in 1978 to mandate minimum
The H2A program allows foreign Of farmworkers in the United States, wage for workers on large farms only.
“guestworkers” to perform seasonal 75% were born in Mexico.4
farm work under a temporary work Overtime pay: The FLSA has never
visa designed for agricultural workers According to a 2005 survey, 53% of been amended to provide overtime for
in the United States. farmworkers are undocumented farmworkers, and only a few states
(without legal authorization), 25% are have passed laws requiring it.
United States citizens, and 21% are
legal permanent residents.4 Child labor laws: The FLSA sets 12 as
“Every time we sit at a the minimum age for farm work, not 16
Immigrant farmworkers as in other jobs.
table to enjoy the fruits often leave their home
countries to seek a
and grain and vegetables better life for their
from our good earth, families. Immigration to
the United States has
remember that they increased notably since
the 1994 signing of
come from the work of NAFTA,5 a free trade
men and women and agreement that has
driven over two million
children who have Mexican farmers out of
business.6
been exploited for
generations.”
Cesar Chavez, Co-Founder, United Farm Workers

2. Economic Profile Health Profile Farmworkers Organizing
Low wages: Farmworkers’ average Dangerous work: Agriculture is For Change
annual income is $11,000; for a consistently ranked as one of the Across the country, farmworkers
family it is approximately $16,000.4 three most dangerous occupations in are organizing for justice and
This makes farm work the second the United States.11 empowerment to improve their
lowest paid job in the nation (after Pesticide risks: Farmworkers suffer conditions. Some organizations leading
domestic labor).7 from the highest rate of toxic this work include:
Piece-rate pay: Farmworkers are often chemical injuries and skin disorders of Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW):
paid by the bucket; in some states any workers in the country,12 as well a community-based organization in
they earn as little as 40¢ for a bucket as significant rates of eye injuries.11 Southwest Florida that won a boycott
of tomatoes or sweet potatoes. At Health concerns: Farmworkers against Taco Bell in 2005 that aimed to
that rate, farmworkers have to pick face higher incidences than other improve wages and working conditions
around two tons of produce wage-earners of heat stress, of tomato pickers. www.ciw-online.org
(125 buckets) to earn $50.8 dermatitis, urinary tract infections, Farm Labor Organizing Committee
parasitic infections, and tuberculosis.11 (FLOC): a labor union in Ohio and
Few social benefits: Despite their
poverty, most farmworkers are not Poor health of children: Children of North Carolina that pioneered
eligible for social services. Less than migrant farmworkers have higher three-way labor agreements between
one percent of all farmworkers use rates of pesticide exposure, workers, growers and corporate food
malnutrition and dental disease than processors. In September 2004, FLOC
general assistance welfare, only two
the general population. Children of won an historic contract with the Mt.
percent use social security, and fewer
migrant farmworkers are also less Olive Pickle Company and the NC
than 15% are Medicaid recipients.4
likely to be fully immunized than Growers Association. www.floc.com
other children.11 Treeplanters & Farmworkers United of
Housing effects: Poor migrant the Northwest (PCUN): Oregon’s
housing conditions lead to increased union for farmworkers, nursery, and
prevalence of lead poisoning, reforestation workers, whose goal is to
respiratory illnesses, ear infections empower farmworkers to understand
and diarrhea.11 and take action against systematic
exploitation. www.pcun.org
Education Profile Limited insurance: Only ten percent
of farmworkers report having United Farm Workers (UFW): founded
Low education levels: The median by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.
employer-provided health insurance.4
highest grade of school completed by The UFW brought national attention to
farmworkers is sixth grade. Thirteen Obstacles to health care: Barriers to the farmworker cause in the 1960s and
percent of farmworkers have complet- receiving health care include lack of has since won union contracts in states
ed less than three years of schooling, transportation, limited hours of clinic across the country. www.ufw.org
and 13% have completed high school.4 service, cost of health care, limited or
no interpreter service, and frequent
Children in the fields: By the time
relocation in search of farm work.
a migrant child is 12, he/she may
Farmworkers are not protected by sick
work in the fields between 16-18
leave and risk losing their jobs if they
hours per week,9 leaving little time for
miss work.11
school work.
Unstable schooling: The average
migrant child may attend as many as
three different schools in one year. For
many children it takes roughly three GET INVOLVED!
years to advance one grade level.8
Contact one of these national support organizations
High drop-out rates: A 1994 study linking the broader community with farmworkers:
showed that 60% of migrant students
in the United States drop out of National Farm Worker Ministry (NFWM): www.nfwm.org
school (down from 90% reported in
the 1970s).10 Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF): www.saf-unite.org
Sources: 1 Public Law 104-299, 1996; 2 Report of the Commission on Agricultural Workers, 1992; 3 Larson, A. Farmworker Enumeration Study, 2000; 4 National Agricultural
Workers Survey, US Dept. of Labor, 2005; 5 Hemispheric Social Alliance, 2003; 6 Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 2003; 7 Rural America, 2002; 8 US Dept. of Labor,
Prevailing Wage Surveys (NC), 2002; 9 Migration Education Messages and Outlook (MEMO), 1994; 10 Education Resources Information Center, 1998; 11 National Center for
Farmworker Health; 12 Natl. Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, 2004; 13 Olivieri, VJ. U.S. Dept. of Ag., 1993; Agricultural Council of America & Lilly, P. NC State
University, n.d. Full citations available at www.ncfarmworkers.org.
Published by the NC Farmworker Institute with funds from the Office of Rural Health and Community Care, NC Farmworker Health Program, 2007