Narrative: e. 1. B.

Assessment Of The Unique Needs Of Migrant And Seasonal Farmworkers

According to the AOP submitted with the Unified State Plan for 2016:

During 2015, agricultural employers placed 791 job orders, 99 more than 2014, and 279 more than 2013. The total number temporary or seasonal workers requested through these job orders was 7,787, an increase of 565 workers from 2014, and 1,199 from 2013. Almost all of these were H-2A Temporary Foreign Laborer Agricultural job orders. Although this indicates the level of demand for agricultural workers within the state, it also suggests an opportunity for greater coordination of MSFW stakeholders in placing workers into these jobs.

It is estimated that, in Louisiana, there are currently 1,500^[1] MSFWs in the following agricultural industries.

Sugarcane: 50

Strawberry: 100

Crawfish and soybean: 80

Nursery: 250

Animal farms and other crops: 220

Non-migrant seasonal farm worker: 1,000

During 2015, LWC contacted 282 MSFWs, of which 38 were referred to jobs. During 2016, LWC intends to increase the number of MSFWs by five percent as staff is better trained to increase their outreach to MSFWs and to recognize MSFWs who enter the Business and Career Solutions Centers network and register in HiRE. LWC anticipates that at least 55 staff days may be required to provide the qualitatively equivalent and quantitatively proportionate level of services to MSFWs, compared to non-MSFWs.

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Data: MSFW Accomplishments

During PY 2016, the SWA and its One-Stop partners contacted 271 MSFWs, a 27% increase from the previous year. The goal was a 5% increase, which indicates the SWA surpassed the goal. Of this number, 28 were referred to jobs, a 29% decrease from the previous year. Although undetermined, it is possible this decrease is related the effect of reduced oil prices on a general downturn in the Louisiana economy. A greater focus is being placed upon this indicator for PY 2016.

It is estimated there are approximately 920 MSFWs in Louisiana, with greater concentrations in the northeastern quadrant of the state and Tangipahoa Parish. It is estimated over 90% of these workers are U.S. citizens who are seasonal, non-migrant workers and whose primary language is English. On average 240 of the MSFWs in the state receive some kind of service from the One Stop system annually.

During PY 2016, all but one minimum service level were met each quarter, except two - Placed in a Job and Field Checks Conducted. Field checks are to be conducted on a certain ratio of agricultural job orders where domestic workers are hired. One indicator - Reviews of significant offices - is not applicable in Louisiana because Louisiana has no significant offices. Also, during PY 2016, no MSFW or MSFW-related complaints were received.

During PY 2016, MSFWs comprised 1.3% of the total number of job seekers served through the Louisiana One-Stop system. Five indicators are used to determine whether services to MSFWs are qualitatively equivalent to non-MSFWs. During PY 2016 LWC met one of the equity indicators.

Table 23: Program Year 2016 Equity Ratio Indicators

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[I]t is estimated that, in Louisiana, there are currently 920 MSFWs in the following agricultural industries. (This estimate does not include H-2A non-immigrant agricultural temporary workers.)

50 - Sugarcane

20 - Strawberry

40 - Crawfish and Soybean

100 - Nursery

60 - Animal Farms and Other Crops

650 - Other seasonal farmworkers

Although some of these MSFWs are Spanish-speaking Mexican or Central American immigrants or descendants, the great majority of MSFWs in the state are local seasonal workers. According to best estimates the number of migrant workers is very small compared to the size of the LA agricultural industry. Three areas comprise the largest concentrations of MSFWs; Ouachita, southern Rapides, and western Tangipahoa Parishes.

From the best estimates, based upon MSFW contacts by LWC, Motivation, Education and Training, Inc. (MET, Inc., the state Section 167, National Farmworker Jobs Program [NFJP] grantee), and the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) at Delta Community College, the number of migrant farmworkers is very small. According to MET, Inc., (using the broader definition of MSFWs under the NFJP grant) migrant farmworker clients are rare. In PY2014 and PY 2015 100% of MET, Inc. clients were local seasonal workers. The first language is of most of those clients was English. Approximately 3,000 people enroll in HEP annually. Of that number an average of 100 enrollees have engaged in farm work and approximately 50% of them would be categorized as an MSFW. An estimated 75% of that number are local English-speaking seasonal or year-round workers and 25% are local Spanish-speaking seasonal or year-round workers. Almost 100% of the Spanish-speaking workers are from Mexico or of Mexican descent. A few HEP participants each year are H-2A workers who wish to obtain a high school equivalency and learn English. The peak participation period for HEP are the winter months, the off-season for most farm work.

The following characteristics of Louisiana NFJP participants for calendar year 2015 were provided by MET, Inc. and derived from MET’s NFJP database:

“100% Seasonal Farmworkers, 66% Black, 28% White, 21% Hispanic, 10% born in Mexico, 88% born in USA, 216 Families and Individuals served, Average 142 Days Worked in Farm Work, 50% Female, 42% School Dropout, 2% Limited English, 2% Veteran, 47% Long-Term Agricultural Employment, 29% Reading Skill Below 8.9 Grade Level.”

Both NFJP and HEP program operators stated that over 90% of their MSFW participants do not rely primarily upon agriculture for their income at the time of participation, but that agricultural work happens to be part of their past or present experience combined with work in other non-agricultural occupations. Of those that do rely upon agricultural income at the time of participation or within the two years before participation, very few regard agricultural work as a vocation, but one of many different occupations they may work in the course of their careers, especially in rural labor supply areas.

Most participants in both NFJP and HEP utilize the One-Stop System to some degree. The most common needs of MSFWs are employment, increasing income, food assistance, transportation, and training.

As the above excerpts from four different reports indicate, the Louisiana Workforce Commission HiRE registration system and American Job Center intake processes were not adequately capturing MSFWs throughout the state. The SWA recognized that MSFWs were not being accurately recorded and has taken several steps to rectify the situation:

1. Hired a full-time State Monitor Advocate (SMA) November 14, 2017.

2. Is in the process of hiring two bilingual (English-Spanish) part-time outreach workers (one for the northern part of the state and one for the southern part of the state).

3. Modify the HiRE registration process to include questions about farm work.

4. Provide technical training to front-line staff on how to identify MSFWs.

[1] Note: the figures included do not add up to 1500, but rather 1700, and it is unclear where these figures were obtained.