Farmworkers play a vital role in cultivating the food we eat everyday, and North Carolina has
one of the largest farmworker populations in the nation. Even though 85% of our fruits and
vegetables are harvested by hand, farmworkers remain largely invisible.

Agricultural labor includes planting, cultivating, harvesting and preparing crops
for market or storage.  Migrant farmworkers travel from place to place to work in
agriculture and move into temporary housing while working; seasonal farmworkers
work primarily in agriculture, but live in one community year-round.  Farmworkers
are usually employed by farm owners or by “crew leaders,” who serve as intermediaries
between growers and workers.

The H2A program allows foreign “guestworkers” to perform seasonal farm work
under a temporary work visa designed for agricultural workers in the United States. 

Demographics of North Carolina Farmworkers

North Carolina ranks sixth in the nation in the number of migrant farmworkers. 
There are approximately 150,000 farmworkers and their dependents in North
Carolina each growing season, but this estimate is considered low. In the United
States there are two to three million farmworkers.  Even though the overall number
of farmworkers in North Carolina has decreased over the last 20 years, the number
of migrant farmworkers has nearly doubled.  Ninety-four percent of migrant
farmworkers in North Carolina are native Spanish speakers.  Nationally, most
farmworkers are unaccompanied males whose families still live in their home countries.

The US Department of Labor reports that 53% of farmworkers nationally are
undocumented (working without legal authorization), 25% are US citizens, and
21% are legal permanent residents. 

Farmworkers’ impact on North Carolina agriculture, including food, fiber and
forestry, contributes over $59 billion annually to North Carolina’s economy and
represents 22% of North Carolina’s income.  Each farmworker’s labor contributes
over $12,000 in profits to North Carolina’s economy annually. 

Major North Carolina crops requiring hand labor include: tobacco, Christmas trees,
sweet potatoes, cucumbers, apples, bell peppers, and other fruits and vegetables. 
Many farmworkers also work in greenhouses and nurseries.

Economic Profile

Poverty: Nationally, farmworkers’ average annual income is $11,000; for a family
it is approximately $16,000.  Farmworkers on the East Coast earn about 35% less than
the national average. 

Hard work, low pay: At 40¢ per bucket (5/8 bushel), a farmworker must pick and haul
two tons of sweet potatoes to earn $50.11

Few wage protections: Most farmworkers are exempt from minimum wage laws, and
all are exempt from overtime provisions, despite long work days during peak harvest.

Few benefits: Despite pervasive poverty, less than one percent of farmworkers collect
general assistance welfare nationwide. Only ten percent of farmworkers report having
health insurance through an employer health plan. Fewer than four out of ten workers
interviewed said that they would receive unemployment benefits if out of work.

Hunger: Nearly five out of ten North Carolina farmworkers cannot afford enough food
for themselves and their families.

Health Profile

Poor housing: Research suggests that the health of North Carolina farmworker
families is at risk due to substandard housing.  State regulations require only one
wash tub for every 30 workers, one shower for every 10 workers, one toilet for
every 15 workers, and do not require telephone access in case of emergency.

Overcrowding: Seven out of ten farmworkers on the East Coast live in crowded
conditions. 

Pesticide exposure: Up to 44% of farmworker families live in housing directly
adjacent to agricultural fields, increasing likelihood of pesticide exposure.
A 2006 study in Eastern North Carolina showed that most farmworker children
are routinely exposed to pesticides.

High rates of illness: Farmworkers face higher incidences than other
wage-earners of heat stress, dermatitis, urinary tract infections, parasitic
infections, pesticide-related illnesses and tuberculosis. Eight out of ten North
Carolina farmworkers surveyed had skin disease. 

Limited Workers’ Compensation: In North Carolina, very few farmworkers are
covered by workers’ compensation.  Only farmers employing ten or more
year-round workers or any H2A worker are required to carry workers’
compensation insurance.

Limited access to care: Barriers to receiving health care include lack of
transportation, limited hours of clinic operation, cost of health care, limited
interpreter services, and frequent relocation in order to seek farm work.

North Carolina Farmworkers are Organizing for Change

In 2004, a historic labor agreement was signed between the Farm Labor Organizing
Committee (FLOC), the North Carolina Growers Association, and the Mt. Olive Pickle
Company, unionizing H2A guestworkers for the first time in the nation. The contract
includes sick pay, bereavement leave, hiring security, protection from unjustified
firing and a grievance procedure allowing workers to report problems on the job
without fear of retaliation.

All facts are from “Facts about North Carolina Farmworkers,” published by the Farmworker
Institute (a project of the NC Council of Churches’ Farmworker Ministry Committee), available at: http://www.nccouncilofchurches.org/areasofwork/committees/farmworker/nc%20facts.pdf