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This story was originally published by Grist and co-published with Modern Farmer. Léalo en Español.
Amid lush greenery and a determined spirit, Rosa Morales carefully transfers chipilín, a legume from Central America, between soil beds in the Campesinos’ Garden managed by the Farmworker Association of Florida in Apopka. After six months of sporadic visits, the 34-year-old has turned this little garden, nestled next to a soccer field and community center, into a crucial food source for her family.
Working alongside plants in this serene garden reminds Morales of her roots in Guatemala. “This makes me think of tending the fields back home,” she shared in Spanish.
For Morales, the tranquility of gardening starkly contrasts her labor-intensive job as a farmworker in local nurseries and farms—a role she has filled since immigrating 16 years ago. Balancing her seasonal work with parenting her five children, aged 18 months to 15 years, is a constant juggle.
She spent this blueberry season picking and bearing the harsh sun, collecting $1 per pound. On an upbeat day, her earnings barely aligned with two-thirds of Florida’s minimum wage. Enduring extreme heat without sufficient shade and water while watching for the dangers of heat-related illnesses has become her everyday reality. “Options are limited,” Morales expressed frankly.
The growing costs of groceries compound her struggles, as neither state nor federal assistance sufficiently mitigates the burden. With climate change negatively impacting agricultural output, work opportunities for both her and her husband, a roofer, have dwindled. Paying their rent while managing a soaring grocery bill has become increasingly challenging. “It’s really hard; the heat is increasing, but our salaries remain the same,” she explained, emphasizing how the Campesinos’ Garden helps offset her food expenses.
Morales’s experience sheds light on a troubling and escalating issue—those who grow the nation’s food often find themselves without adequate access to it. Estimates suggest that food insecurity among farmworkers may range from 52 to 82 percent, worsening due to climate change impacts on both agriculture and labor conditions.
Approximately 2.4 million farmworkers employ their services to fuel America’s agricultural industry, yet they typically receive some of the lowest wages nationwide. Conversely, a typical American household now spends over $1,000 monthly on groceries—an inconceivable amount for families earning as little as $20,000 annually. This reality is compounded by a more than 25 percent increase in food prices since 2019. While food insecurity afflicts millions, farmworkers face the added pressure of being largely overlooked by political agendas.
“When we discuss supply chains and rising food prices, the plight of the laborers who produce that food is often ignored,” pointed out Nezahualcoyotl Xiuhtecutli from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Xiuhtecutli advocates for farmworkers and brings focus to the severe occupational risks tied to their profession. Few beyond the workers themselves recognize that hunger remains a pressing issue for this community, made worse by climate-induced challenges, such as diminished crop yields and unpredictable weather events disrupting agricultural productivity.
Access to sufficient aid is also a significant hurdle, especially for the estimated 40 percent of farmworkers lacking work authorization or those fearing repercussions if they seek help. Advocacy groups are stepping in to fill the void left by inadequate government assistance, providing food resources through community gardens, food pantries, and collaborative food initiatives.
“Despite working in food production, farmworkers often lack access to basic resources,” Xiuhtecutli noted, emphasizing that many struggle with fundamental living costs, placing food low on their priority list.
Food insecurity among farmworkers tends to escalate in winter months due to seasonality in agricultural work patterns. However, the dual influences of climate change and inflation have now made food scarcity a perennial issue.
Recent events, such as severe flooding in western Massachusetts, have further exposed the fragility of farmworkers’ livelihoods. “It affected our ability to earn and put food on the table,” Claudia Rosales recounted, stressing the decline in access to essential supplies as a direct consequence of nature’s wrath.
As the executive director of the Pioneer Valley Workers Center, Rosales is familiar with the ongoing fight for fair treatment of farmworkers. Arriving from El Salvador and experiencing first-hand the hardships in agriculture—such as the lack of protective gear against harsh conditions—she relates deeply with the emotional and economic struggles of farmworkers today. “When my children fell ill, I feared losing my job if I sought care for them,” she recalled, pointing out that the pressure to provide food often leads workers to endure maltreatment.
“They’re not seen as essential by society, but without them, food would not reach our tables,” Rosales asserted.
Though floodwaters have receded, Rosales claims that many farmworkers continue to face the effects of those disasters. With assistance programs designed for physical property recovery often overlooking workers’ needs, they remain vulnerable. Many suffer severe underpayment, especially when disaster strikes and previous earnings diminish drastically due to poor harvests.
The recent heatwave’s detrimental effects on worker productivity serve as yet another example of the economic toll linked to climate events, forcing farmworkers to make agonizing choices between fundamental needs like food and housing. “Economic events can limit access to food and essential finances,” Rosales said.
Researchers have closely studied how families with limited income navigate financial pressures, revealing a constant struggle to make ends meet, especially as temperatures climb. A 2023 study underscored the reality that extreme heat can directly lead to increased food insecurity, impacting workers’ wages and opportunities.
Parker Gilkesson Davis from the Center for Law and Social Policy echoed these points, asserting that the situation has worsened nationwide alongside the rising costs of living. “At the end of the month, people aren’t eating enough or resorting to makeshift meals,” she reflected. While SNAP provides critical assistance, only a small fraction of farmworkers are enrolled due to immigration status barriers and fears of jeopardizing their legal standing. Many lack access to this essential safety net when they need it most.
The expiration of emergency benefits post-COVID, coupled with soaring food costs and international conflicts, has intensified food insecurity nationwide, yet precise figures are elusive when it comes to farmworkers, as comprehensive data remains scarce. Despite recognition from the USDA of the existing gap in knowledge, specific measures to alleviate this issue are unclear.
Without targeted data, it becomes challenging to implement effective solutions, which currently rely largely on nonprofit and community-led initiatives.
A sense of neglect surrounds this issue, according to social scientist Miranda Carver Martin. A lack of public awareness contributes to inadequate resources aimed at understanding the conditions farmworkers face, complicating efforts to address their vulnerabilities effectively.
This data shortage has notably hindered attempts to understand the full extent of the challenges farmworkers face in the aftermath of disasters such as hurricanes.
Yet, emerging community ventures are taking shape to offer sustainable food solutions. Claudia Rosales and her organization are committed to establishing food systems that allow greater agency for farmworkers themselves, illustrating a pivotal shift towards cooperative models aimed at improving food access.
The Campesinos’ Garden exemplifies these efforts, bursting with an array of produce and providing a sanctuary for local workers. Operated with the collective effort of local advocates, the half-acre site not only offers sustenance but invites community collaboration.
A diversity of items flourishes in the garden, from tomatoes to exotic fruit, complemented by a lively atmosphere during public days when families come to plant their seeds and harvest what they need. “The joy of working the land is palpable,” said Ernesto Ruiz, who manages the garden, emphasizing its significance as a food source for families earning poverty wages.
With the goals of community support and nourishment at its core, the garden also extends its reach through partnerships with local grocery stores, seeking to maximize food availability for those in need.
However, environmental challenges threaten this source. If climate-related factors continue to impact yields, the community’s food supply chain will also falter. “We’re losing crops due to heat,” Ruiz explained, calling for enhanced resources to maintain the essential nature of the garden.
The combination of systemic financial policies affecting farmworker wages and localized gardening initiatives like the Campesinos’ Garden presents two facets of a larger solution aimed at alleviating hunger among farmworkers nationwide. “We have a responsibility to care for each other,” Ruiz remarked, emphasizing the moral obligation to feed those who grow the nation’s food.
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