AgNet DEMO

Category: Labor

  • Florida Strawberry Farmer: H-2A Program Needs to be Simplified

    A farmworker cuts romaine for harvest.

    Farmers agree: H-2A is needed but it can be improved. Foreign workers are needed because of the lack of a domestic workforce. It needs improvement because it is a cumbersome and very expensive process.

    “It needs to be simplified. It is just the hardest, most complicated thing to do and to stay legal,” said Matt Parke, farm manager of Parkesdale Farms in Plant City, Florida. “If you just stumble a little bit of a hiccup, it will cost you a boat load of money.

    “It’s scary because you’re working with the government and you really have to walk the line. Even if you’re walking the line, you can always just mess up easily. Paperwork can mess you up, and it’ll cost you a boat load of money.”

    What is H-2A?

    The H-2A program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs. But the program is complicated and can result in delays of workers arriving to their destinations on time.

    “It could definitely be streamlined a lot more. We’re constantly fighting delays is probably my biggest concern with it,” said Justin Corbett of Corbett Brothers Farms in Lake Park, Georgia.

    Florida and Georgia are two of the states who use the program the most. Florida was the largest user during the first three quarters of 2020. It listed 28,005 certified positions. Georgia listed a little more than 23,000 certified positions.

    Lack of Domestic Workers

    The lack of a domestic workforce leads to the program’s necessity. People are not working on the farm. They have no desire to, now more than ever.

    “Unfortunately, there’s just not enough domestic labor that’s incentivized to do this work,” Florida farmer Eric Hopkins said. “There’s unemployment and government handouts and everything right now. I’m reading in the paper today, even restaurants can’t find people to work in the restaurants because people are making money not to work. We’re going to have to change our mindset and get everybody back to functioning in this country.

    “For a good reason sometimes, people have grown accustomed to not working. We’ve got to get retrained back into hustling again.”

    The latest attempt at reform is the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. It has already been passed by the House and now resides in the Senate, though some agricultural organizations insist modifications need to be made.

    High Costs

    Maybe the most concerning part of H-2A is its high costs. The new Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) that was recently approved increased Florida’s wages by 3.2% to $12.08 per hour. Georgia and Alabama’s rates increased by 0.9% to $11.81. That does not account for housing and transportation costs.

    Then there’s the concern of a potential $15 an hour minimum wage that is the wish of the Biden Administration. Florida just passed a minimum wage increase that will increase by $1 increments until 2026 when it is $15 per hour.

    “It’s going to make it very tough. H2A will go up in accordance with it,” Hopkins said. “A lot of times these programs are set up to have people make more money. What we’re going to have to do is cut back on their hours and find ways to get more mechanized, unfortunately.”

    Georgia farmers are hopeful a similar increase is not adopted across the country.

    “Labor is our No. 1 input cost. To talk about where AEWR is now to $15 an hour without an increase in sale price, it would put us out of business,” Corbett said.

  • Safety Training Program Protects Ag Workers During the Pandemic

    By Kimberly L. Morgan

    Throughout the food supply chain, producers, processors, distributors, wholesalers and retailers seek economies of scale and scope to improve profit margins, while delivering safe, consistent, reliable and relatively low-cost foods to consumers. At the farm level, owners make decisions to minimize production and harvesting costs, relying on human resources and scientific advances to address the dynamic uncertainties unique to the agricultural industry.

    During the 2020 global pandemic, every individual, household, company and government had to adjust day-to-day behaviors. Yet nationwide, few food shortages occurred, and minimal increases in prices have been documented to date. The U.S. agricultural industry continued to provide healthy and safe food, due in large part to the adaptability of farmworkers, supervisors and owners.

    Workers labor long hours in physically demanding conditions, with paychecks dependent on speedy, accurate and careful handling of fruits and vegetables to ensure high-quality, safe produce is delivered to buyers. The economic implications of the highly transmissible coronavirus range from short-term negative impacts on worker health and farm profitability to the immeasurable losses of life.

    To proactively educate farm owners, supervisors and workers on how best to do their jobs under pandemic conditions and preserve their health and livelihood, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Farm Labor Supervisor COVID-19 Safety Training program was developed.

    With decades of experience educating nearly 1,500 farm labor supervisors on how best to protect farmworkers’ lives, the training team has delivered six webinars in both Spanish and English to 775 participants. The training consists of three sections:

    PART 1: WHAT IS THE CORONAVIRUS OR COVID-19?

    Motivated by the trainers’ observations that farmworkers tend to distrust technology used in the fields (for instance, the scan systems that track production), this section addresses their concerns by sharing information regarding the COVID-19 testing and health-monitoring procedures specific to agricultural operations.

    Picnic benches with barriers help protect farmworkers from COVID-19 during lunch breaks.

    Farmworkers often fail to recognize COVID-19 symptoms and/or don’t think it is a problem that will affect their health as many are relatively young and work primarily outdoors. To mitigate this prevailing mindset, general information is included about the virus, whom it targets, Florida statistics, typical symptoms, case studies and transmission examples.

    Ag-related COVID-19 cases are shared to relay facts that the disease is a real and persistent threat to the health and wellbeing of farmworkers, and to communicate that there are things workers can do to protect themselves and others. Florida Department of Health statewide COVID-19 infection and mortality rates by ethnicity, age and county are shared to show the real-time relevance and impact of the virus on communities.

    PART 2: COVID IN AGRICULTURE

    Building on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, UF/IFAS experts apply their firsthand knowledge of the day-to-day working environment on Florida’s farms and share best practice recommendations to help protect farmworkers’ lives. As local and state agencies work to provide farmworker access to COVID-19 testing sites, this information is shared. Supervisors are encouraged to adopt prevention and control tips and to post CDC-approved worker education resources in appropriate languages. The training stresses the importance of practicing social distancing, wearing masks and handwashing both on and off the farm.

    PART 3: PROTECTING SUPERVISORS AND WORKERS

    Farmworkers are typically paid hourly. Time off due to COVID-19 symptoms or quarantining for 14 days after exposure to a COVID-19-positive coworker results in costs to both the worker and the employer. The employers may need to provide sick pay and find and hire a replacement.

    The training provides information on financial support programs from various agencies that are available for both farmworkers and owners to address these concerns. Since harvest practices usually are built around teams working in proximity, creative ways are suggested to complete the work while maintaining social distancing. This includes forming groups that share work assignments and living arrangements to minimize exposure during shift changes.

    Also included in this section of the training is the latest CDC general guidelines and the Agricultural Employer Checklist for Creating a COVID-19 Assessment and Control Plan. Other topics covered are:

    • How to screen workers
    • The importance of employees reporting to their employers if they begin to feel sick
    • Areas that put workers at most risk and how to make them safer
    • Handling sick time
    • Assigning responsibility to ensure practices are followed
    • Numerous resource websites

    Dates for future training and responses to frequently asked questions related to protecting farmworkers from COVID-19 will be posted on the UF/IFAS Farm Labor Supervisor Training Facebook page (www.facebook.com/FLSTraining15).

  • Farmworker Safety During Unprecedented Times

    Growers take steps to protect farmworkers’ health so they can continue to ensure an abundant, safe food supply is available to U.S. consumers. Image source: The Pajaronian

    By Amy Wolfe

    While the country finds itself navigating unprecedented circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, growers across the Southeast have continued forging ahead in producing the safest possible food supply. That work has included a variety of challenges, including how best to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the farm while considering the safety, health and well-being of the agricultural workforce.

    COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS

    There are a variety of precautions to evaluate and implement on the farm to ensure the safety of farmworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Owners and management need to consider the following:

    Communicating with Workers

    The need for daily communication with workers is essential. The misinformation available through social media and other outlets has led to critical misunderstandings around how the virus is spread and what steps employers and employees need to take to minimize risk. As such, it is critical that employees receive the following information:

    Social Distancing

    During the start of the shift, breaks and lunch, keep workers at least 6 feet apart. Provide additional seating, such as plastic or folding chairs, to ensure workers are off the ground. Stagger breaks and lunch if additional seating is not available. Stagger meetings and trainings at the start and end of the shift if additional seating is not available.

    In the field, space workers out to provide distance between them. One row should be separating them when planting, pruning, thinning, harvesting or doing other field work. Make more than one pass through a field when harvesting product with equipment.

    Drinking Water for the Crew

    Assign an employee to serve drinking water to crew members from the communal water receptacle. Ensure the worker serving the water has proper personal protective equipment (PPE), including disposal gloves and a face mask or covering. Sanitize the spigot after filling disposable cups each break. Sanitize the spigot if it comes in contact with a reusable water container drinking area (example: mouth of a water bottle).

    Hand soap, paper towels and potable water must always be available in portable restrooms. Image source: Kerkstra Services

    Portable Restrooms and Handwashing

    Assign an employee to sanitize portable restrooms (door handles, locks and toilet seats) and handwashing facilities (spigot, soap dispenser, paper towel dispenser) frequently during the day. Ensure the worker has proper PPE. Provide sanitizing products and train workers on how to properly sanitize. Frequently communicate the expectation that sanitation procedures are followed and assign a supervisory employee to monitor compliance.

    Worker Transportation

    If company vehicles are provided to workers, ensure that those vehicles are being cleaned and sanitized on the inside and outside regularly, ideally once a day. If it is essential to use transportation, such as a van or bus, to transport workers:

    • Sanitize at least twice a day (following employee pick-up and drop-off) all points of contact (seats, seat belts, knobs, doors, handles, buttons, etc.) that employees touch.
    • Ensure ample ventilation and airflow inside the vehicle.
    • If possible, seat workers spaced at least 6 feet apart.Consider additional trips to allow spacing of workers.
    • Assign seating so if a worker becomes ill, it is easy to identify those in proximity and take the appropriate next steps around informing them, as well as asking them to stay home from work for 14 days.

    Sanitizing Equipment and Tools

    More frequent sanitation of all equipment and tools is critical. Ensure teams already responsible for cleaning do so at least daily. Do not forget the following items, which can be overlooked:

    • Tractors, forklifts, ATVs and UTVs, including seats, seat belts, knobs, doors, handles and buttons.
    • Areas of congregation and meeting, both inside and outside. This includeschairs, shade trailers, buckets, refrigerators, coolers, water jugs, vending machines, garbage cans, bottles and containers used daily
    • Employee equipment and tools, including bins and hand tools
    GENERAL FARM SAFETY

    With the emphasis currently on new COVID-19 protocols, don’t overlook other tried-and-true agricultural safety measures. It is essential that one risk isn’t traded for another. With the summer months fast approaching, growers need to be mindful of the potential for heat-related illnesses. Ensure workers have access to ample drinking water and shade and that they are aware of the steps they should take if they begin to experience overheating symptoms.

    In addition, be sure workers using equipment like tractors, forklifts and ATVs receive proper training on safe operation. Training should occur annually and include the process for inspecting the equipment prior to use, the correct operation of the equipment and the protocol for reporting any mechanical issues.

    Lastly, it is important that growers remember to be mindful of the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) and the importance of ensuring workers now receive their appropriate annual training. The WPS was updated by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2016 to include annual training for farmworkers not involved in pesticide application. They need to be provided details on routes and types of exposure, signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning, first aid care, after-work care of contaminated clothing, field postings and the concept of the re-entry interval, where to find the field worker decontamination site, the contents of safety data sheets, and how to stay out of the application exclusion zone.

    The continued safety and health of farmworkers is paramount. It is critical that growers maintain vigilance with year-round safety issues, as well as consider the unique circumstances now impacting the industry as it navigates through the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Amy Wolfe is president and chief executive officer of AgSafe, headquartered in Modesto, California. AgSafe is a 501c3 nonprofit providing training, education, outreach and tools in the areas of safety, labor relations, food safety and human resources for the food and farming industries. For more information, visit www.agsafe.org, call 209-526-4400 or email safeinfo@agsafe.org.

  • Mexican Imports Still a Concern for American Farmers

    By Clint Thompson

    Mexican imports of blueberries were a big problem for American blueberry farmers as prices dropped.

    Mexican imports of produce into the United States continues to be a problem for American farmers. They especially felt the sting this year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

    Southeast growers had to overcome a declining market when restaurants and schools closed in March for fears of COVID-19. They also were overshadowed by the constant influx of Mexican produce.

    “It’s insulting to the specialty crop growers who are suffering with COVID-19. It’s taken away markets. Then on top of that, we’ve got Mexican products coming in on top of us to drive the prices even further down,” said Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Association.

    Charles Hall comments on Mexican imports into the U.S.

    Further Evidence

    Florida blueberry farmer Ryan Atwood attributed blueberry’s declining prices to Mexico. In a previous VSCNews story that was published on April 30, Atwood said Mexico had just shipped in 5 million pounds of blueberries the prior week.

    Ironically, poor weather conditions in Mexico this year led to a low watermelon supply, which was confirmed by watermelon farmer Carr Hussey. This has led to a current watermelon shortage and higher prices for American watermelon farmers.

    Unfair Trade

    American farmers have voiced their concerns about unfair trade with Mexico. Blueberry farmer Russ Goodman said hourly pay in Mexico is around $1, much lower than the rate outlined in H-2A that American producers are on the hook for. Hopefully, that will soon be a thing of the past.

    USMCA

    senate
    The USMCA will be implemented July 1. Hopefully, unfair trade practices with Mexico will soon be a thing of the past.

    According to a prior AgNet West story, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced that the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will be ready to be put into effect on July 1.

    “The crisis and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that now, more than ever, the United States should strive to increase manufacturing capacity and investment in North America,” Lighthizer said in a press release. “The USMCA’s entry into force is a landmark achievement in that effort.”

    However, specialty crops groups have voiced their concern about the lack of support for the sector in the USMCA. Read more here.