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AFOP President Jeffrey Lewis Bids Adieu
By Jeffrey Lewis, AFOP President
August 19, 2022
In 1976, fresh from college and the US Navy Submarine Service, I started with PathStone Corporation, which at the time was called Program Funding, Inc. I have completed 47 traditional migrant labor seasons here in upstate New York. I guess you could say I have spent nearly my entire adult life with one employer. I have survived the nation’s many iterations of farmworker programs and services in spite of those who wanted to tear them down. I was fortunate enough to be able to grow and develop our agency efforts in many state service areas. I have worked with the most wonderful people at NAFO and AFOP and served those associations with many of whom I consider dear friends as well as colleagues.
I have been a part of the growth of PathStone Corporation, starting in its first year with $300,000 provided by the E.H. White Foundation through a grant funded by the Office of Economic Opportunity, to nearly $90 million in 2022. We have served thousands of participants and have such a diverse group of staff, participants, and employers that there is never a dull moment. The culture we work in is stupendous.
I can characterize my own development by the positions I have had. I have worked with the Federal Job Training Acts and programs, Learn and Earn, Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, (CETA), Job Training and Partnership Act (JTPA), Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and the myriad of job titles I have personally had the opportunity to serve in. I have had grand opportunities for a kid from a small upstate New York town who has worked in agriculture since his 12th birthday. I have learned so much in the school of farmworker programs and witnessed some of the very best changes in farm labor policy practices. I can say so many positive changes have happened in farmworker policies and practices, but must acknowledge that we still have a long way to go.
In my last six years, I have had the opportunity and privilege to work with AFOP Executive Director Daniel Sheehan and AFOP staff, as well as the full AFOP board and Executive Committee; it has been a distinct pleasure. We have made progressive changes, increasing in growth and stability under both Democrats and Republicans. We have been under duress when our budget was zeroed out by the former president, but we have still grown. I am pleased to have played a part in this progress and will miss the job immensely as I will not seek re-election at our meeting in September. Thank you all, the entire farmworker program community, for a wonderful opportunity to lead AFOP and serve Farmworkers. Keep up your good work. I will miss you all.
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The 2022 AFOP National Conference Final Countdown
September 1, 2022
Our 2022 National Conference is just weeks away! Unbelievably, three years have passed since our last in-person national conference, so we know how eager members are to gather once again with their AFOP family. It’ll be an exciting time spent reconnecting, celebrating milestones, and getting inspired. (We’re looking forward to hearing from Oya Thomas and Joshua Lozoff!) A historic hotel and resort since 1929, the Wigwam is the ideal place to meet, relax, and see how we like that famously dry Arizona heat.
For the break-out sessions, we are pleased to provide our members with quality training by top-notch experts in workforce development, non-profit management, and NFJP policy. We invited key partners to share their insights into farmworker trends and opportunities, and we built sessions around quality peer-to-peer exchange. There’s even a presentation about beekeeping! (That’s one NAICS code you might have to look up.) The only down-side of such a packed agenda may be that you cannot attend more than one session at once.
If you haven’t yet signed up, there’s still time. Click the registration link below and know that you can always call us with any technical difficulties.
We’re here to help! For more information click here.
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La Coop’s Lizarraga Marches for Union Rights
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
September 5, 2022
Last month, farmworkers marched 335-miles from historic Forty Acres to Sacramento. The United Farmworkers Union (UFW) organized the march in support of the California Agriculture Labor Relations Voting Choice Act Assembly Bill (AB) 2183. The bill would expand voting access and democratic participation by allowing farm workers to vote on union elections at a physical location, via mail, or dropping off a representation ballot card at the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) office. Such options would limit the possibility of voting intimidation by grower foremen, supervisors and farm labor contractors.
Marco Lizarraga, Executive Director of La Cooperativa Campesina de California, joined the march to continue the fight for farmworkers’ rights.
“We marched with Cesar in 1966 to Sacramento, in 1975 to Modesto and we are marching today again to Sacramento and we will not stop,” said Lizarraga in a statement. “We will not ever end our struggle! The movement seeking justice for the historically abused farmworker will not ever end until the injustice ends!”
Watch a video from the Washington Post about the march.
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AFOP Visits OHDC Staff Retreat in Bend, OR
August 31, 2022
Two weeks ago, Oregon Human Development Corporation (OHDC) hosted its annual staff retreat in Bend, Oregon, a small town located along the Deschutes River in the high desert just east of the Cascades.
Inspirational speakers, like Dr. Roberto Dansie (“The Cultural Wisdom of Farmworkers”), Laurie Hoefer from Legal Aid Services of Oregon (“Farmworker Rights”), and Gabriela Perez Baez of the University of Oregon (“Linguistic Diversity of Oregon Farmworkers”) prepared and motivated staff and leadership to continue agency excellence in serving farmworkers. OHDC also took the opportunity to check in with staff members about the organization’s strategic direction, offering the opportunity for input and buy-in from everyone.
AFOP’s Daniel Sheehan and Kendra Moesle also traveled to Bend for the retreat. It was a unique opportunity to get to know all OHDC staff who serve Oregon’s farmworkers, from frontline outreach staff to the accountants to the managers. Without exception, all staff members exhibited a strong commitment to farmworkers, including OHDC Regional Supervisor Frances Alvarado.
“Most staff come from farmworker backgrounds and have first-hand experience and understanding of the struggles farmworker face,” said Ms. Alvarado. “We are in a position to provide the best services we can and more importantly a better opportunity to improve their lives. Our motivation comes from seeing the difference NFJP makes in their lives.”
We applaud OHDC for its diligence and passion. THANK YOU for the work that you do!
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Member Spotlight: Mary Potts, Farmworker Services Division Director
California Human Development
August 2, 2022
Earlier this year, Mary Potts became Farmworker Services Division Director for California Human Development (CHD). She has spent many years with CHD and contributed to the Farmworker Services Division and the clients it serves. She took some time to write about her story with CHD and what the work she does means to her:
Before coming to CHD, I worked at an herb ranch in Dixon, CA. I worked directly with the farmworkers (hand packers and field workers) assisting them with their needs, both professionally and personally. I was amazed by their dedication and will as they worked tirelessly in the fields; I advocated for them while they taught me the struggles they faced on a daily basis. My life work has been a mutual respect for the land they work on and the will they have to provide a better way of life for their families.
The Farmworker Services Division has helped thousands of agricultural workers improve their lives and the lives of their families by giving them a voice, providing them with the tools needed to find better jobs, and ensuring that those individuals who did not have food to eat or a place to sleep, had a meal and roof over their head for the night. However, there is still so much that must be done; there are thousands more that have not been reached. There are so many that live in fear. Weas an agency must be there to pave the way.
Read more of Mary’s story here.
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FARMWORKER HEALTH & SAFETY
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Are You Ready for NFTP 2023?
August 31, 2022
This month, AFOP’s Health and Safety Programs will begin recruiting sites for its 2023 National Farmworker Training Program (NFTP).
What is NFTP? The National Farmworker Training Program is an occupational health and safety educational program that serves the farmworker community. NFTP’s main goal is to educate as many farmworkers as possible through training events and social media.
AFOP will be recruiting 15-20 organizations by invitation only. Participating organizations will earn $10,000. They will also receive staff professional development, training tools, training materials, take-home materials, and more.
Application process:
- If your organization receives an invitation, the first step is to email Melanie Forti at forti@afop.org by September 30th with 5-7 sentences stating how you will be able to meet the training goals.
- Once participation is confirmed, the Health & Safety team will send a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to ensure both parties understand their responsibilities.
- The program will begin on January 9th, 2023 and end on December 15th, 2023.
- AFOP will provide a mandatory 1.5-hour refresher training for returning trainers in January and a mandatory 2-part/2-hour train-the-trainer session for new trainers (dates to be determined).
We will be in contact soon!
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Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act of 2022
Farmworker Justice
August 17, 2022
Did you know that heat already kills more people than hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods combined? As climate change brings more heat waves, things will only get worse. Farmworkers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness, but all outdoor and indoor workers employed in excessively hot and humid environments are at significant risk of material impairment of health or functional capacity. It is of paramount importance that we ensure that all workers in all sectors – but particularly agriculture - are safe from the heat.
On July 27, 2022, the House Education and Labor Committee amended and passed the “Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act of 2022,” (H.R. 2193), teeing the bill up for a vote on the House Floor. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), seeks to address safety and health concerns in relation to excessive heat exposure.The bill would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue a federal standard for heat stress protections, with meaningful participation of covered employees (and their representatives when applicable) and tailored to the specific hazards of the workplace. In the House Education and Labor Committee, the Asunción Valdivia bill was amended to require OSHA to issue an interim final rule within one year. The interim final rule would be legally enforceable until the permanent rule is issued.
Passing this bill means protection for farmworkers and many other outdoor workers. Farmworkers often work outside in extreme temperatures for long hours. Many workers do not want to ask for or take a break if they start to exhibit symptoms of heat illness, because they fear retaliation from employers or the loss of wages, particularly for those paid on a piece rate. The standard would require that workers who are exposed to extreme heat have paid rest breaks, access to cool or shaded environments, and access to cool water for hydration.
AFOP has formally endorsed and is a proud supporter of this crucial legislation.
Read more
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AFOP Exceeds Goal for Heat Stress Prevention Training Marathon Week
July 25, 2022
WE DID IT! 1,213 farmworkers were trained during the 2022 Heat Stress Prevention Training Marathon! Our initial goal was 1,000 farmworkers.
Thanks to all our member organizations for providing training to farmworkers during this week. By educating farmworkers and advocating for their right to water, rest, and shade, you may have saved a life!
Thanks also to the organizations who joined our social media campaign. We hope all the resources and toolkits we provide for these campaigns are helpful. Your advocacy makes a difference!
Read More about AFOP’s Heat Stress Prevention Training Marathon.
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Child Labor Trick-or-Treat: Looking Back on a Childhood Spent in the Fields
By Gizela Gaspar, AFOP Intern
August 3, 2022
I was only five when I started working in agriculture with my parents, as they were not able to afford childcare for my brother and me. I remember my parents turning my trick-or-treating basket into a cherry bucket. They detached the handle and replaced it with a string. I would use that for the whole day to pick whatever I could from the bottoms of the trees.
At first, my parents took me to work in the fields at such a young age out of necessity. But by the age of twelve, we were expected to join our parents all summer long. We would start the very same weekend school ended and finish before we had to begin class once again. I don’t remember taking days off. We worked with heavier fruit like pears and apples; we pruned and trimmed trees. My parents believed in showing us the hardship of how they made a living to encourage us to always stay in school.
Read more of Gizela’s reflections here.
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And the Winners Are…
AFOP’s Children in the Fields Campaign
August 31, 2022
Our Children in the Fields Campaign (CIFC) has announced the 2022 winners for the annual Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Children Art & Essay Contest! This year, AFOP received over 120 heartwarming entries from around the country. The judges had a difficult task before them, but they ultimately chose one first-, second-, and third-place prize winner for all four categories.
Here are the well-deserving winners:
Since 2009, the Children in the Fields Campaign has hosted its annual art and essay contest to provide a safe platform for farmworker children’s compelling stories. When they speak on a national stage, they find the power in their voices. The entries contain powerful stories full of emotion that must be seen and heard by everyone, especially lawmakers. It is our hope that the stories received through the contest can help us change the narrative and achieve the change that’s needed to protect farmworker children in our country.
We are looking for sponsors for the 2023 contest! Can YOU pitch in? Please contact Melanie Forti at forti@afop.org if you or your organization would like to make a contribution.
Please stay tuned and follow us on social media @CIFCampaign (Instagram – Facebook – Twitter) for all updates.
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Care Act of 2022: Last Effort before Retiring
Children in the Fields Campaign (CIFC)
August 31, 2022
Before retiring from Congress later this year, United States Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard wants to secure enactment of the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety (CARE Act) which she has faithfully introduced each Congress for more than a decade. The Act revises labor protections for child workers, including those employed in agriculture, increases the civil penalties for violations of such provisions, and imposes new criminal penalties for violations resulting in the death or serious injury or illness of a child worker. The Labor Department would also have to revise regulations to prohibit the employment of minors as pesticide handlers.
On September 7th, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on child farmworkers and the CARE Act. You can view it here.
It’s time farmworker children were accorded the same rights as every other child in America. As former AFOP staff Reid Maki once said, “Ending exploitive child labor on American farms is long overdue and this legislation will result in healthier, better educated farmworker children.”
AFOP strongly supports the CARE Act and will do everything possible to help win its adoption by Congress in the weeks ahead. You can find more information about the Act here.
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AFOP Selected to Join Childhood Agricultural Safety Network Leadership Team
Midwest Farm Report
August 20, 2022
The Childhood Agricultural Safety Network — associated with the National Farm Medicine Center and Marshfield Clinic — has named its first-ever leadership team that includes AFOP’s Health and Safety Director Melanie Forti. The team is beginning its first campaign centered around ATV/UTV Safety.
“I think the future of CASN is much brighter, thanks to this team,” says Marsha Salzwedel, National Children’s Center project scientist and program manager for CASN. “Their diversity of ideas, skills and networking capabilities have already made an impact.”
The six-person leadership team was drawn from more than 170 organizations and individuals who comprise the Childhood Agricultural Safety Network.
Leadership team members are:
- Cheryl Beseler, associate professor, Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Marsha Cheyney, evaluation and outreach coordinator, Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, University of Iowa
- Jana Davidson, program manager, Progressive Agriculture Foundation
- Melanie Forti, Health and Safety Programs Director and Children in the Fields Campaign Director, Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
- Whitney Pennington, outreach program coordinator, High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, Colorado State University
- David Sullivan, director of programs, Ag Health & Safety Alliance
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New CIFC Merch Coming in September!
Children in the Fields Campaign (CIFC)
August 31, 2022
Children in the Fields Campaign (CIFC) is committed to the fight for farmworker children’s rights. A farmworker child deserves a safe and healthy life just as much as any other child. You can help us in this fight by purchasing CIFC merch in our online store. New merch will be released at the end of September.
Support our work by purchasing beautifully designed items for you and your family. It is never too early for holiday shopping!
- Multiple color options available
- Merchandise available in a range of sizes (small to 5XL)
- New collections every other month
- Fast shipping
- Purchase with a purpose
Visit our online store here. |
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Putting Farmworkers in the Driver’s Seat: PathStone Helps Produce NFJP’s First Podcast
August 19, 2022
PathStone Pennsylvania recently collaborated with Workforce GPS to create a podcast featuring one of the organization’s successful NFJP graduates, Sandra Cintora, and PathStone case manager Janet Cordova.
Prior to enrolling in NFJP, Sandra harvested mushrooms and worked with different types of flowers in greenhouses. The work was physically demanding, requiring her to be out in the sun from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Despite the long hours, Sandra made only $150-200/week as a farmworker, not enough to support herself and her family.
Sandra was referred to PathStone by a friend. When she heard about the program, she called right away. On the podcast, Sandra tells her story in her own words:
Janet guided me through the entire process. She connected me with the school and we coordinated my start date. She constantly followed up with me and always motivated me to keep going and to complete the training. She even helped me review questions so I could pass my exams. It was very difficult for me, more than anything because my English wasn’t very good. But with my daily effort and my strong motivation to succeed, I successfully passed my exams and completed my 160-hour course and managed to obtain my CDL license.
Right now, I am a CDL driver driving a tractor trailer for To-jo Mushrooms fulltime. Now I wake up every morning wanting to go to work, which has never happened to me before. I truly enjoy what I do, and I’m extremely happy I’m able to provide [for] and support my daughters.
Listen to the complete podcast here. |
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It was the Biggest and Best Decision I Could Have Ever Made
By Viridiana Camacho, NFJP Participant
CET Salinas
June 2022
The thought of going back to school was always there, but it seemed too difficult. I would think about enrolling in college courses, but it would lead nowhere. I finally decided to take another route and do something a little different. I decided to enroll in the Center for Employment Training Medical Assistant program. Helping people is something I have always been geared toward, and what better way to help people than by being in the medical field?
In May 2021, I had a conversation about the CET program with a family member and it really got me thinking: nine months in a program to acquire the skills of a Medical Assistant. The following Monday I called to enroll and it was the biggest and best decision I could have ever made. I discovered I qualified for the NFJP grant as the dependent of my spouse, who works year-round with grapes. At 32 years old at the time of enrollment, with two children under the age of 8, the NFJP grant made training accessible for me, and the stipend I received based on daily attendance helped to supplement any day-to-day needs. Receiving hands-on training by qualified instructors is what helped give me the confidence I needed to be successful. I believe if I had enrolled in a different institution, I would not have gathered the skills I needed.
Learning to vitalize patients was easy: taking their blood pressure, temperature, weight. The hard part was learning capillary punctures, injections, and phlebotomy. I felt like I was not going to make it. I had deemed it difficult without even trying. Ms. Lydia teaches from the ground up in the simplest terms and helps you so much in completing procedures. When I realized that I was capable of gaining those skills, I truly felt like I could finish the program successfully and be hired at a clinic or health facility.
Clínica de Salud del Valle de Salinas was my first choice for an externship, and luckily that is where I went. All my training and skills are what ultimately got me hired there. I am beyond grateful for all the instructors at CET and for the NFJP grant. I now have something that my children, my husband, and parents can be proud of.
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A Message from the U.S. Secretary of Labor on Labor Day
USDOL Secretary Marty Walsh
September 1, 2022
On Labor Day we honor the achievements of America’s workers, and this year we have a historic victory to celebrate: Since President Biden took office through July, we’ve added 9.5 million jobs to the economy, and the unemployment rate plunged to 3.5%, matching a 53-year low.
At every turn, working people are seizing opportunities and proving that, even though work is changing, America is a country filled with hard workers. As we recognize Labor Day in 2022, I encourage you to pause for a moment and remember: every recovery has a lesson to teach.
Here’s one for this Labor Day: Never bet against America’s workers.
Secretary Walsh tested his team on their knowledge of Labor Day. See who knows the most—and who needs a refresher.
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Ashley Rodriguez Joins the DOLETA National Office Team
September 1, 2022
Ms. Ashley Rodriguez recently joined the NFJP team in the United States Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration national office. Ms. Rodriguez is a certified workforce development professional with over ten years of experience across multiple federal programs. A few of her areas of expertise include case management, performance reporting, grant monitoring and compliance, program development, and management information systems in all different areas of workforce development.
You might know Ashley from her previous position at the Florida Department of Education, an AFOP member and grantee of the National Farmworker Jobs Program. While working for the Florida NFJP, Ashley handled NFJP eligibility, performance reporting, and program compliance.
Ashley is excited to be joining the national office working with NFJP to continue serving the MSFW population at the federal level. She is eager to bring her grantee experience to the NFJP team.
Read Ashley’s complete bio here.
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Essential Workers of the Coronavirus Pandemic Inducted into the DOL Hall of Honor
USDOL
September 1, 2022
To recognize their sacrifices and ceaseless efforts to support their communities and keep our country moving forward amid the coronavirus pandemic, the United States Department of Labor inducted the essential workers of the coronavirus pandemic into the Department’s Hall of Honor.
Several essential workers were invited to Washington, DC, to speak for the occasion, including Mr. José Rodriguez, a truck driver from Illinois, Mr. Eddie Quezada, a produce manager from New York, and Ms. Carolina Sanchez, a farmworker from California.
“Being an essential worker was very scary, because of the unknown, the lack of information, the lack of PPE, the fear that you would bring something home,” says Registered Nurse Zayda Valladares. “It was a very scary time.”
Deputy Secretary Julie Su applauded efforts of all essential workers, saying, “These are the workers who put their heart and soul and sometimes their lives on the line, to help their communities during the worst days of the pandemic.”
Read more
Watch a video honoring the essential workers.
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Exhibit Spotlights Washington Farmworkers
By Jayce Carral
Seattle Times
August 14, 2022
An exhibit spotlighting farmworkers called “All The Sacrifices You’ve Made / Todos los Sacrificios Que Has Hecho” is running at Tacoma’s Washington State Historical Society until October 16th.
Texas artists Mark Menjivar and Jason Reed of the art education program Borderland Collective handpicked the photos on display, having connected with the families through the University of Washington’s (UW) College Assistance Migrant Program. (CAMP). CAMP supports first-year UW students from migrant and seasonal farmworker families.
For the exhibition, Menjivar and Reed traveled to Washington to visit each of the families in Wenatchee and the Yakima Valley and perusing their family photo albums.
“There are definitely pictures that talk about labor, but the majority of the pictures actually talked about the joy, the resilience, and sometimes the grief,” Reed said. “The kind of family dynamics that everybody has.”
Life in a farmworker family, captured in these photos, requires hard work and many sacrifices.
Read More
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Farmworker Luis Jiménez regularly works more than 70 hours a week. Photo by Jesús Chapa Malacara.
New York Farmworkers Say They are Regularly Stiffed on Overtime
By Jesus Chapa Malacara
Capital & Main
August 2, 2022
New York farmworkers and their advocates say that their employers are using loopholes to avoid paying overtime as required under a recent overhaul of state labor law.
Three years ago, New York state passed legislation granting farmworkers the possibility of overtime pay, a guaranteed day off and the right to form a union — among other benefits. The move represented a major shift in the state’s farm labor regulations, making New York an outlier nationally.
But gains brought about by the Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act (FLFLPA) are allegedly being eroded by some farm owners.
In interviews with Capital & Main, farmworkers and labor advocates said employers have limited work hours, mis-recorded break times, and paid workers off the books.
Luis Jiménez, who works on a dairy farm in the Finger Lakes region, says that though the new laws have led to gains like a weekly day off, workers are not netting substantially more for their labor because of the workarounds. “We’re making about the same as before,” he says.
Last year, the state Wage Board voted to phase in the 40-hour week, which farmers have long fought against and plan to keep on fighting. Ultimately, the wage board’s recommendation must be approved by the state’s labor commissioner, Roberta Reardon. Six months on, the wage board has yet to adopt and deliver its official report to the Department of Labor. Once that happens, Reardon will have 45 days to make a decision. In the meantime, New York’s farmworkers wait.
Read more
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Joe Aguilar of Sacramento waves a United Farm Workers flag outside the state Capitol after the union finished a 24-day march on Aug. 26. (Hector Amezcua / Sacramento Bee)
Biden Backs California Farmworkers Union Bill as Pressure on Newsom Grows
By Zach Schonfeld
The Hill
September 4, 2022
President Biden on Sunday endorsed a California bill that would expand union organizing rights for agricultural workers, a measure long pushed by labor organizers who are now pressuring Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to sign the legislation.
The bill, which state lawmakers sent to Newsom’s desk last week, would allow farmworkers to choose whether they want to vote in a union election in person, by mail or by submitting a card to a California Agricultural Labor Relations Board office.
“Farmworkers worked tirelessly and at great personal risk to keep food on America’s tables during the pandemic,” Biden said in the statement. “In the state with the largest population of farmworkers, the least we owe them is an easier path to make a free and fair choice to organize a union. I am grateful to California’s elected officials and union leaders for leading the way.”
Advocates say the bill, titled the Agricultural Labor Relations Voting Choice Act, would help prevent intimidation during in-person elections from management, including fears of workers’ deportation if they attempt to unionize. The legislation faces opposition from the agricultural industry.
Read more
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Scammers Ready to Pounce on Student Loan Debt Forgiveness News
National Consumers League
September 1, 2022
The Biden Administration’s announcement that it will forgive up to $20,000 of student loan debt per person will undoubtedly help boost millions of Americans’ finances. Unfortunately, as we have seen in previous rounds of debt payment pause extensions, scammers know an opportunity when they see one. The new federal program will require many borrowers to complete an application to receive debt relief. We anticipate that criminals will step up their efforts to direct potential victims to fraudulent relief schemes that mimic the official process.
Learn how to spot these debt forgiveness fraudsters.
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The AFOP Washington Newsline (ISSN# 1056-8565) is produced by the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP), a national federation of agencies serving migrant and seasonal farmworkers. AFOP’s mission is to improve the quality of life for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families by promoting self-sufficiency through employment and training opportunities, educational attainment, and health and safety.
The publication is funded by subscriptions and the members of AFOP. The Washington Newsline receives no financial support from the federal government. Staff may be reached by calling (202) 963-3200.
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