Narrative: e. 3.

Data indicates that migrant farmworkers in Arizona are primarily from Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The primary languages spoken by migrant farmworkers include various dialects derived from Mesoamerican languages spoken in southern Mexico and Central America, Spanish, and English.  The dialects most commonly used by farmworkers in Arizona are Arawakan (Peru), Nahuatl (Central Mexico) Mixtec, and Zapotec (Southern Mexico and Oaxaca).  During peak season, there are approximately 61,233 MSFWs in Arizona and as few as 23,268 MSFWs during non-peak season.

The estimated population of MSFWs in Arizona is approximately 127,676, including dependents, and is based on the most recent “Agricultural Profile of Arizona” released by the National Center for Farmworker Health in May 2014.  Arizona farm labor estimates indicate 61,233 total workers, broken down into sub– groups as follows:

• 14,988 migrant workers
• 39,890 seasonal workers
• 6,355 livestock workers

This population estimate reflects input received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, DOL, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Reference USA. Many organizations and government agencies that work with the MSFW population use such enumeration report data in providing services, planning, policy setting, health care support, regulatory assistance, identification of underserved areas, agricultural production, determining whether resources are appropriate to the need, and many other areas.  The National Center for Farmworker Health report is used by several agencies to estimate and plan for services to the farmworker population in Arizona.  To ensure the most current population data is considered, the SWA will collaborate with other MSFW service providers and partner entities in a coordinated effort to continue to capture current information to track this population.  Study updates will include information on individuals engaged in field and orchard agriculture, food processing, and horticultural specialties, and will assess the make–up of animal agriculture.  Updated results will be considered to make changes as necessary to the Agricultural Outreach Plan.

Seasonal and migrant farmworkers are identified, coded, tracked and referenced in service reports for the purpose of meeting compliance with Federal program requirements.  Farm Labor Contractors and Farm Labor Contractor Employees, i.e., crew leaders and field foremen/supervisors, employed seasonally by more than one agricultural producer, will be coded as migrant and/or seasonal farmworkers, and services provided to them will contribute to the attainment of program indicators of compliance.  The SWA will focus its efforts to identify and provide services to migrant farmworkers and agricultural employers.  Migrant farmworkers have a greater need for support services when they migrate to areas where they are not familiar with potential services and resources, while agricultural employers face concern over scarcity of farmworkers due to lack of US domestic applicants, need for immigration policy change, and immediate improvement to legislation and regulations impacting the agricultural industry.

Arizona engages MSFW service providers to identify and address needs, explore solutions, and collaborate to remove barriers to improve living and working conditions.  The SWA recognizes that farmworkers possess specific needs and face certain barriers that result from cultural, educational, linguistic, scheduling, logistic, and other dynamics that are inherent to that population.

Farmworker needs include, but are not limited to the following:

• Timely labor market information to facilitate planning for continuous employment;
• Occupational guidance and training to maintain a job or transition into a different occupation or industry;
• Transportation to seek employment or supportive services;
• Affordable and adequate housing;
• Information from various jurisdictions on labor laws and worker rights, protections, and responsibilities;
• Supportive services to enable MSFWs to obtain and maintain employment;
• Fair and equitable conditions and supervision from trained and committed field foremen, supervisors and farm labor contractors;
• Fair and equitable pay that includes health benefits; this is a necessity for the laborers, as well as for the safety of our nation’s food supply and reducing health and public assistance cost; and
• Pesticide and heat stress prevention training.

Barriers that confront farmworkers include, but are not limited to the following:

• Decreased demand for a farmworker labor force due to innovations in automated farming, agricultural technology, and application of chemical herbicides;
• Urban sprawl resulting in farmworker job displacement without corresponding assistance for reemployment;
• Lack of timely, reliable data and information pertinent to intrastate and interstate job openings and supportive services;
• Provider service delivery hours of operation that conflict with MSFWs work schedules;
• Lack of transportation, limiting access to jobs and supportive services;
• Limited employment opportunities in rural areas, and increased competition for entry–level jobs;
• Underemployment or unemployment due to limited literacy education, LEP skills, and lack of non– agricultural job experience;
• Limited participation in support programs due to lack of understanding of eligibility and other factors, such as impact on immigration status for having utilized certain services;
• Lack of full–time, year–round work, combined with low wages, that relegates MSFWs to living below the poverty line;
• Competition from undocumented workers who work for less pay and substandard living and working conditions;
• Competition from intrastate and interstate farm labor contractors who follow migrant streams accompanied by their own farmworker crews;
• Limited educational opportunities for MSFWs and English Language Learner individuals;
• Lack of knowledge with respect to automation (phones and computers), resulting in increasing challenges to access information, services, and benefits;
• Stigma associated with working/living a seasonal lifestyle in conjunction with crop seasons (Non– Agricultural employers expect seasonal farmworkers to quit when the season starts again, and are, therefore, reluctant to hire them);
• Limited job search techniques/skills for finding jobs outside of agriculture; and
• Lack of understanding on the benefits of having a full–time, year–round job with benefits versus a seasonal job that may pay a higher per hour wage.

The Area Coordinator and State Director of Operations with National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), Portable Practical Educational Preparation, Inc. (PPEP), assisted the SWA with gathering statistical data for an assessment of the needs of farmworkers in Arizona.