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Rural Migration BlogCalifornia Agricultural Employment in 2020July 10, 2020 Employment in California fell in spring 2020 compared with spring 2019. Employment in May 2020 was 15.5 million, down 16 percent from 18.5 million in May 2019. After beginning the year higher than in 2019, California’s agricultural employment fell 20 percent in April-May 2020 compared to year-earlier levels.Continue reading "California Agricultural Employment in 2020"... / View PDF of "California Agricultural Employment in 2020 Covid-19 and Agriculture: Efficiency versus ResilienceJuly 10, 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted national and global economies and food systems, prompting a discussion of efficiency versus resilience in supply chains, including the food supply chain. In the US, the food supply system experienced a demand shock as consumers stocked up on food and staples in March 2020 and a supply shock when meatpacking plants closed in April and May 2020 as workers contracted the virus.Continue reading "Covid-19 and Agriculture: Efficiency versus Resilience"... / View PDF of "Covid-19 and Agriculture: Efficiency versus Resilience Hired Farm Work Force Reports, 1945-87July 10, 2020 Average employment in US agriculture declined by 75 percent between 1945 and 2020, from almost 10 million to less than 2.5 million. The hired worker share of average employment in US agriculture doubled from a third to two-thirds over this 75-year period. Continue reading "Hired Farm Work Force Reports, 1945-87"... / View PDF of "Hired Farm Work Force Reports, 1945-87 Mexican Braceros and US Farm WorkersJuly 10, 2020 The Bracero program refers to agreements between the US and Mexican governments that allowed Mexican workers to fill seasonal jobs on US farms. Both the 1917-21 and the 1942-64 Bracero programs that were begun in wartime and continued after WWI and WWII ended. Second, there were gaps between program regulations and workplace realities that became apparent over time and contributed to US decisions to end both programs. Continue reading "Mexican Braceros and US Farm Workers"... / View PDF of "Mexican Braceros and US Farm Workers Social and Labor AuditsJuly 10, 2020 The social and labor audit business is expanding rapidly as buyers or brands require their suppliers to pass audits that check on supplier compliance with labor and environmental laws. Some buyers require their suppliers to comply with more than minimum labor or environmental standards. Continue reading "Social and Labor Audits"... / View PDF of "Social and Labor Audits CDFA: California Agriculture in 2018June 24, 2020 California’s farm sales were $50 billion in 2018, the same as in 2017. Iowa was the number two farm state with sales of $28 billion, followed by TX, NE, and MN. These top five farm states accounted for 37 percent of US farm sales of $373 billion. Continue reading "CDFA: California Agriculture in 2018"... / View PDF of "CDFA: California Agriculture in 2018 Mexico-US Agricultural TradeJune 24, 2020 Mexico-US trade totaled $671 billion in 2019, when the US exported goods and services worth $299 billion to Mexico and imported goods and services worth $372 billion from Mexico, that is, the US trade deficit with Mexico was $73 billion. Continue reading "Mexico-US Agricultural Trade"... / View PDF of "Mexico-US Agricultural Trade US Farm Employment and Farm WorkersJune 24, 2020 The average employment of hired workers in US agriculture is about 1.5 million, and there are 2.5 million individuals employed for wages on US farms sometime during a typical year. Farm employment is concentrated in three interrelated ways: by geography, commodity, and size of farm. The 10,000 largest fruit and berry, vegetable and melon, and horticultural specialty (FVH) farms in CA, WA, FL, and TX account for over half of US farm employment, including a third in CA. Continue reading "US Farm Employment and Farm Workers"... / View PDF of "US Farm Employment and Farm Workers Covid-19 and MeatpackingJune 24, 2020 Meatpacking was considered an essential business during the coronavirus emergency, and most animal dis-assembly plants expected their employees to continue to work. Meatpacking plants, nursing homes, and prisons were three hotspots for US Covid-19 infections. Continue reading "Covid-19 and Meatpacking"... / View PDF of "Covid-19 and Meatpacking Covid-19: Implications for Farm WorkersJune 24, 2020 The Covid-19 virus that shut down large parts of the world and US economy in spring 2020 had both short- and long-term effects on farm workers. Farm and other food system workers were deemed essential and expected to continue to work during the pandemic. Foreign farm workers were also considered essential, and special arrangements were made to ensure that H-2A guest workers could obtain work visas and enter the US despite closed borders. Continue reading "Covid-19: Implications for Farm Workers"... / View PDF of "Covid-19: Implications for Farm Workers
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