Farmworker

A new United Nations report outlines how low wages, dangerous working conditions, and immigration laws undermine agricultural workers’ right to food.

When Azul was five, doctors finally figured out the little girl had asthma. That’s become a big problem among children of farm workers, says Dr. Catherine Karr of the University of Washington. 

Both women and men go to this health clinic, where both hear about IUDs and other methods of family planning in a nation with a large number of unintended pregnancies.

“I’ll never feel the same about berries,” says Seth Holmes. In “Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies,” he describes the bone-crushing work that he and Mexican migrant workers did to put fruit and vegetables on your table.

Immigration reform is a top priority for Republicans and Democrats in the current political term. Both agree that something needs to be done. Farmers and agricultural industry types hope that their agreement includes fixing the guest worker program. But some immigrant activists say that’s not such a good idea.