Farm Laborers

"It's ironic that those who till the soil, cultivate and harvest the fruits and vegetables, and other foods that fill your table with abundance have nothing left for themselves." - Cesar Chavez.
Have you ever really thought about the fresh produce that you buy in the grocery store? Everyday there are thousands of people picking, sorting, packing, and shipping the fruits and vegetables that we eat everyday. Farm labor makes a very important contribution to the agricultural industry, and provides labor during busy production periods. Although important to agriculture, hired farmworkers continue to be one of the most economically disadvantaged groups in the United States. These workers receive low wages and seasonal employment while working hours upon hours of heavy labor. Farmworkers have the second highest unemployment rate, and on average bring in only 300 dollars per month. Low-wage workers are defined as individuals 25 years or older who make less than the official U.S. weighted poverty threshold for a family of four. This amount is around $17,500, which explains why 48% of all farmworkers are classified as low-wage workers. This site is dedicated to informing individuals of the challenges of being a farm laborer.

Http://itrs.scu.edu/faculty/mbousquet/en2spr6/wkamada