Labor

EFI urges ag industry to celebrate Farmworker Awareness Week

Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer advocacy groups, is once again celebrating National Farmworker Awareness Week by encouraging growers, agricultural associations, state agriculture agencies,... more »

H-2A workers to be impacted by new vaccine requirement

As of Jan. 22, the Department of Homeland Security's is requiring essential and non-essential travelers entering the U.S. to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. H-2A workers arriving on Jan. 22, 2022, or after, will be... more »

Health screenings offered for Florida farmworkers

With about 200,000 migrant farmworkers in Florida, UF/IFAS Extension and the UF College of Medicine will screen as many as possible for various health conditions and give them nutrition information to help improve access to... more »

Supervisor development program offered by labor contractors’ group

The California Farm Labor Contractors Association is hosting several classes focused on its Ag Supervisor Development Program. "We launched this training program for supervisors, mayordomos, and crew leaders late last year, partly through USDA/NIFA grant... more »

Farm and Food Workers Relief Grants deadline extended

The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced Jan. 13 it is extending the deadline to submit applications for the Farm and Food Worker Relief (FFWR) Grant Program from Feb. 8, 2022, to March 10, 2022. Additionally,... more »

Workforce development group EFI reaches out to Midwest growers

Equitable Food Initiative, the certification and skill-building organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer advocacy groups, continues to provide tools and resources for agricultural workforce development. EFI will now bring a new focus on... more »

CBP withholds release order on tomatoes produced by farm in Mexico

Since Oct. 21, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at all U.S. ports of entry have detained fresh tomatoes produced by the tomato farm Agropecuarios Tom S.A. de C.V., and Horticola Tom S.A de... more »

Bid to block California COVID-19 rule by Western Growers nixed

A California state appeals court has rejected a challenge by Western Growers to the state's COVID-19 workplace safety rule, saying the need to protect workers outweighs any burdens the measure places on employers. Reuters reported... more »