Narrative: e. 3.

Seasonal Shifts and Farmworker Origins - During the most recent year, FY 2021, Louisiana hosted 12,473 Non-Migrant seasonal farmworkers. The peak season ended in September with a quarterly total of 4,099 and the low season ending in June with 1,704.  These workers come predominantly from Mexico and Central America who generally speak a variation of Spanish, with some from the Indus Valley and Southeast Asia, speaking the most common language of their region.  This is not an exhaustive list. 

It is estimated that, in Louisiana, there are currently 900 MSFWs in the following agricultural industries. (This estimate does not include H-2A non-immigrant agricultural temporary workers.)

50          –             Sugarcane

50          –             Corn

40          –             Crawfish and Soybean

100        –             Nursery

60          –             Animal Farms and Other Crops

600      –               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 PY2017 thru PY 2019 100% of MET, Inc. clients were local seasonal workers.  The first language is of most of those clients was English. Approximately 2,000 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 a 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 2018 were provided by MET, Inc. and derived from MET’s NFJP database:

“Seasonal Farmworkers represent the following: 66% Black, 28% White, 21% Hispanic, 10% born in Mexico, 88% born in the 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 on 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.