Washington, DC — May 5, 2024 — The Department of Labor’s recent report marks 2023 as a milestone year for the H-2A program, with over 378,000 foreign farmworkers supporting agricultural producers in the United States. This program plays a pivotal role in ensuring food security for our nation, as highlighted by Nacio Felix, Adrian Martin, Vivek Mehta, and Curt Mueller from McKinsey & Company. They emphasize that multiple farming and processing value chains rely on migrant workers, including those under sponsored visa programs.
However, behind this success lies a growing concern about the sustainability of the migrant workforce, particularly visa sponsored workers. A study by Penn State University, sponsored by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, reveals alarming statistics. From Jan. 1, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2019, more than 60,000 people were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal, agricultural-related injuries. That translates to an average of 1,000 agricultural workers treated in the Emergency Room every month over the past five years.
Moreover, financial insecurity plagues many agricultural worker families, with 20% falling below the national poverty guidelines according to the 2019-2020 NAWS survey. This disqualifies them from enrolling in the Affordable Care Act, exacerbating their healthcare access challenges. Even more concerning, a staggering 51% of sponsored workers do not meet the federal poverty guidelines, leaving them without health insurance coverage.
The emergence of COVID-19 has further highlighted the vulnerability of the food supply chain, resulting in losses in farm and agricultural labor. Attempts to secure food supply have led to policies declaring agricultural workers as essential, potentially putting these workers at heightened risk.
It is imperative that we address the urgent healthcare needs of visa sponsored agricultural workers. Our nation’s food security depends on the well-being of these individuals who labor tirelessly to feed our communities. We call upon policymakers, industry stakeholders, and community leaders to prioritize the health and safety of agricultural workers and ensure equitable access to healthcare for all.
For more information on this critical issue or to support initiatives aimed at improving healthcare access for visa sponsored agricultural workers, please contact The Farmers Alliance at (202) 609-7427 or info@thefarmersalliance.org
Sources
httpss://www.ncfh.org/facts-about-agricultural-workers-fact-sheet.html
httpss://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0250621