California: Welfare, Housing, Napa
Welfare rolls fell in the San Joaquin Valley and Fresno county even though unemployment rates remained high, although the decrease in the number of

Midwest, Southeast: Tobacco
Mexican immigrants are changing the face of many small towns and cities across the Midwest and southeast. The Journal of Employee Assistance in

Census: Poverty, Incomes
The Census Bureau released its annual report on poverty, income and health insurance in August 2004, reporting that 36 million or 12.5 percent of US

California: Laws, Wages, Health
California labor law enforcement officers did spot checks of farm labor vehicles in September 2004 and issued citations for violations including

UFW, Unions
The UFW held its convention in Fresno August 28-29, 2004 and honored retiring state senate leader John Burton, who authored the mandatory mediation

Midwest, Northeast, Northwest
FLOC. The Toledo-based Farm Labor Organizing Committee in September 2004 announced that it signed a three-way labor agreement between FLOC, the North

Florida, Carolinas
The farm labor contractor driving a van that overturned on I-95 April 1, 2004 lost his license and was fined $150; nine workers were killed.

Farm Worker Services, Data
The federal Migrant Education Program is the largest of the Big 4 programs that provide over $1 billion a year in grants to local government agencies

Quest for AgJOBS
The Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits and Security Act of 2003 (AgJOBS, S.1645, H.R.3142) had the support of 63 U.S. senators and 117

Border, Sanctions
Border. The Department of Homeland Security in August 2004 announced that the 11,100 Border Patrol agents will be able to remove unauthorized

Canada
The Caribbean and Mexican Seasonal Workers Program brought 18,755 farm workers to Canada in 2004; about 10,000 are Mexican. Most work 10- to 12-hour

California, Raisins, Olives
Raisins. Harvesting the grapes from 125,000 to 150,000 acres in the Fresno area that are turned into raisins has traditionally been the most

Wine 2004
The 2004 California wine grape harvest is expected to total 2.9 million tons, and prices should be higher than they were in 2003, when the 1.6

Africa, China, Brazil
Africa. Land continues to be a point of conflict between whites and Blacks. In summer 2004, Masai tribesmen marched onto sprawling ranches held by

Global Trends: Water, Textiles
Water. More than 1.1 billion people in the world lack access to safe drinking water, and 2.3 billion -or one person in three - lack access to

Changing Face 2004
The 10th Changing Face seminar was held September 9-10, 2004 in Parlier, California, and focused on the challenges and opportunities posed by