Addressing Ag Labor Challenges
With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding some $50 million to support farmworkers and agricultural employers. From the agency, the money will go to 141 awardees in 40 states and Puerto Rico, through the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program. They say the awards will help improve the resiliency of the U.S. food supply chain by addressing agriculture labor challenges.
Find a link to all of the awardees at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/flsp/awards.
In our region, it does include an $800,000 award to J. Durbin Farms, an Alabama farm specializing in peach and strawberry production, $1.72 million to Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd. in Florida, and $400,000 to Nunez Pine Straw Inc. in Georgia. They’ll use the award to increase the wellbeing of their workers including wage increases, fringe benefits, safer housing, and paid sick leave.
From Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, “Improving working conditions and quality of life for farmworkers, both U.S. based workers and those that come to our country to work, is one key step in building a stronger, more resilient food supply chain.”
