Narrative: e. 6. D.

Assessment of Progress: During the last four years, Maine focused on five core objectives which remain key to improving MSFW and agricultural employer services for the next four years.

Increase the number of MSFW’s who participate in labor exchange activities. Migrant and seasonal farmworker one-stop service activity varied between migrant and seasonal workers. Seasonal workers tend to use the American Job Center for assistance with employment and training services, whereas migrant workers receive services as a result of State Monitor Advocate and partner outreach at employer work sites and labor camps. Improvement in the number of workers who self-identify as either migrant or seasonal worker during registration for services continues to trend below expectation despite the past outreach model deployed in Maine and the results illustrated in Table 21. As a national trend, migrant workers are less likely to visit an American Job Center and access needed information and services through field visits and partner outreach. During the last two years, farmworker contacts increased due to outreach expansion efforts of the SMA however registration for services did not. In 2018, 523 farmworkers were contacted by the SMA. In 2019, 415 workers were contacted with a large influx of these contacts occurring in the third and fourth quarters of the calendar year as a result of MSFWs shifting to wreath making operations. Overall, Maine continues to see gradual decline over the last four years in MSFW workers.

Increase the number of agricultural employers using the labor exchange services and promote the use of the ARS. Although agricultural employers are using all resources to fill positions, including the one-stop service system and requests for H2A positions increased in 2019, they continue to struggle to attract and find workers interested in farm labor opportunity. A marked increase in the use of the Agriculture Recruitment System was not realized given the challenge recruiting workers, especially when the economy was strong and alternative job opportunities were available. Despite efforts to encourage migrant workers to visit an American Job Center to receive services, registration for services did not markedly improve.

Encourage participation of MSFW’s seeking transition to higher-wage jobs and permanent non-agricultural employment. The SWA believes farmworkers continue to receive services that lead to higher wage jobs and permanent non-agriculture employment. However, due to the significant numbers of farmworkers and specifically seasonal workers in Maine who do not identify as a “farmworker” when registering for services, assessing our impact on this goal is a challenge. The number of MSFW’s who self-identify and engage in American Job Center services, is evident by the success of Eastern Maine Development Corporation, the NFJP grantee and the WIOA Title 1b sub-recipient in transitioning workers to better paying jobs. The SWA supports the NFJP operator and encourages our outreach staff and our partners at all times to promote higher-wage agriculture and non-agriculture employment opportunities.

Enhance collaboration with the MSFW servicing organizations. Collaboration with our MSFW serving organizations remains strong and illustrates a best practice here in Maine.

Maintain and Improve Progress Maine will continue its effort to conduct sound outreach to the employer and farmworker community to enhance the delivery of one-stop services. This effort will continue to capitalize on the strengths of community partnerships, such as the Farmworker Resource Network, to identify and provide the full breadth of services many of the farmworker population require to obtain, retain, or transition to employment- better paying jobs. Maine will advance our promotion of the Agricultural Recruitment System (ARS) through intra and inter-state clearance orders and available one-stop services through social media and direct outreach to workers, employers, and partners in order to fill seasonal, temporary and permament agriculture positions.  And we will continue to work to improve our tools and efforts to identify seasonal and migrant users of American Job Center services to help illustrate the impact we are having on this important and critical segment of our workforce.

Over the course of the 2020-2023 State Plan, Maine will continue to focus on the following outreach objectives:

• Increase the number of MSFWs who participate in labor exchange activities,
• Increase the number of agricultural employers utilizing the labor exchange services,
• Promote the use of the ARS to agricultural employers through outreach and education,Encourage participation of MSFW’s seeking transition to higher-wage jobs and permanent non-agricultural employment, and
• Enhance collaboration with MSFW service provider organizations.