Labor

Employment of H-2A workers aided by Farmers.gov features

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced July 27 new features on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers.gov website designed to help facilitate the employment of H-2A workers. “My mission from the beginning of my time... more »

Ag workers in North Carolina to get delivery of personal protection equipment

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) said July 21 it is taking further action to prevent and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks among the agricultural workforce, delivering critical personal protection equipment for... more »

Housing issues topic of ag event for northern Michigan, U.P.

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Gary McDowell announced July 21 the department will be hosting a virtual town hall discussion regarding food and agriculture housing challenges in northern Michigan and the Upper... more »

‘Protecting Essential Ag Business Operations, Employee Health’ forum topic

The fourth in a series of Penn State Extension grower forums on “Protecting Essential Agricultural Business Operations and Employee Health during COVID-19” will be held on July 30, 2020, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Secretary... more »

California shares ‘COVID-19 Awareness for Agriculture’

California agriculture is vital to the nourishment of our citizens, our economy and our environment. From the farm, to the packing and/or processing plant, and into the hands of consumers, California’s bounty is in high demand... more »

JV Smith Companies’ Mexicali operation achieves EFI certification

Promotora Agricola El Toro, a JV Smith Companies facility with more than 3,500 workers and nearly 10,000 acres, has recently achieved Equitable Food Initiative certification, becoming the largest operation to have done so. As part... more »

Small farms rely on owners; larger farms use hired hands

The U.S. agricultural workforce consists of a mixture of two groups of workers: (1) self-employed farm operators and their family members, referred to as “unpaid labor” because their remuneration comes out of farm profits rather... more »

Concerns for ag workforce during COVID-19 aired by lawmakers

Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts,and Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, sent letters July 6 to the largest food and beverage processors and farm operators requesting information on how they... more »