Narrative: e. 2.

Factors Affecting Agricultural Activity by Crop: Increasing mechanization and reduction in managed acres in some areas of the state continues to impact the annual number of MSFWs needed by the blueberry harvesting sector, shifting workers to the freezing/packing plants. Broccoli producers’ labor needs remain constant, projecting a need for additional labor in the coming year. Apple orchards and packing houses continue to report flat numbers and do not foresee increasing labor need. The larger apple producers use the H-2A program for harvest purposes and rely on returning local seasonal and permanent help in the packing houses. Throughout the state, a select number of growers of diversified crops, including vegetables, use foreign H-2A labor in small quantities to supplement the available returning local seasonal field help. Overall many sectors of Maine’s agricultural producers are hiring fewer workers even when it comes to local seasonal labor. This is evident in the conversion of family and larger farms continuing to turn to ‘agro-tourism’ and ‘pick-your-own’ systems as a strategy to sustain farms. The conversion to ‘pick-your-own’ also makes it unnecessary to plan for additional labor needs, with farms able to rely on a small static number of permanent and local seasonal labor. Overall, the improved economy has influenced the number of workers interested in and available to work in agriculture specific jobs. Farm operations are challenged to find workers when so many alternative job opportunities exist for traditional seasonal and migrant workers looking to transition to a full-time, year-round position.

With the impact of COVID-19 sweeping across the country and the state of Maine, we anticipate this health crisis, though it remains to be seen, will negatively impact the viability of migrant workers making the sometimes long trip to Maine to work, contractor and employer capacity to provide transportation to and from the job site-often provided in vans and buses, locating or adapting safe housing that traditionally is bunk style living arrangements,  and provide safe day to day work conditions that are often not easily accessible to critical health care when needed. Already, some northern Maine farms are deploying available young people, dismissed early from their secondary school responsibilities due to the crisis, to help with early growing season preparation.

Projected Maine MSFWs by Crop