Fun With Migrant Farm Labor and Pesticide Exposure

John Perzel’s comments regarding immigrant farm labor has ironically raised attention to the plight of these employees and their struggling families. Yet, it should be noted that this Republican leader has a major misconception about the realities of migrant farm labor. This may indicate why the Republican legislation leadership has paid little attention to the problems these hard working workers face.

A migrant farm laborer does not annually earn over $50,000, as Mr. Perzel seems to think. Most are fortunate to earn $18,000. Many migrant farm jobs pay $6 an hour for seasonable work without health care, dental, or other benefits. They do so in occupations experiencing above average health problems from stress to difficulties from exposure to pesticides and chemicals.

Hopefully this attention to the migrant farm workers is providing greater recognition of the need to support and bolster inspections to see that migrant farm laborers are provided with decent working conditions, housing, and proper pay. I hope Mr. Perzel and his colleagues are now better aware of this and will act to protect migrant laborers.