Seasonal Agricultural Workers Research Articles

From Worker Victory to Policy Reform: Injured Migrant Workers Fight for Return to Work Justice in Workers' Compensation in Ontario, Canada.

This article explores the challenges facing injured migrant farm workers in the workers' compensation system in Canada's province of Ontario, with a focus on their fight for return to work justice. Told from the perspective of one of the lawyers who represented the workers, it highlights a recent victory achieved by 4 workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program in defending their rights to workers' compensation support. The workers' compensation tribunal decided that the workers' compensation board must evaluate these workers' ability to return to work, access retraining, and receive compensation based on their labor markets in Jamaica-instead of based on fictional job prospects in Ontario. The tribunal also called out the need to consider systemic anti-Black racism in workers' compensation law and policy. The article analyzes how this legal victory could reshape workers' compensation policy in Ontario for injured migrant farm workers. It also discusses the implications of the win for injured workers in other temporary work programs and precarious employment sectors.

Experiences of migrant seasonal agricultural worker mothers in earthquakes: A phenomenological study.

Seasonal agricultural migration leads to both economic hardship and humanitarian challenges. Individuals involved in this migration face severe poverty and deprivation, with mothers critical participants in agrarian work, being especially vulnerable due to challenging conditions and family responsibilities. This study explores the experiences of migratory seasonal agricultural worker mothers and their children, particularly how the earthquake in Turkey impacted them on February 6, 2023. This descriptive phenomenological study was conducted with seasonal agricultural worker mothers who participated in hazelnut harvest in northern Turkey between August and September 2023. Study data were obtained from 22 mothers who agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using the MAXQDA 2022 qualitative data analysis program. It has been determined that the earthquake affects both mothers and children, creates confusion in mothers, creates fear, anxiety, and insecurity in children, and causes behavioral problems such as insomnia and loss of appetite. It has also been determined that positive changes occur in mothers' parenting practices and strengthen family ties. It has been revealed that mothers derive their psychological resilience from their belief systems and social interactions. It was concluded that earthquake experiences positively and negatively affected migratory seasonal agricultural worker mothers and caused emotional and behavioral problems in children.

Evaluation of Thermal Comfort Conditions in the Working Environments of Seasonal Agricultural Workers in Csa Koppen Climate Type

This study focuses on determining the thermal comfort conditions of seasonal agricultural workers during the hot periods of the year when agricultural production is intense in the Aksu/Türkiye region, which is characterized by the Csa climate type according to the Köppen–Geiger climate classification. In this study, the thermal comfort conditions of seasonal agricultural workers working on open farmlands were evaluated in ten-day, monthly, and seasonal periods for 6 months between 5:00 and 21:00 h using the modified Physiological Equivalent Temperature (mPET) index in the Rayman Pro software according to their activity energy during work. The results of the study reveal that increased activity energy leads to a decrease in thermal comfort conditions of agricultural workers, mPET values of agricultural workers engaged in soil cultivation (Group II) are 2.1 to 2.9 °C higher than the mPET values of workers engaged in plant care and harvesting (Group I), and the agricultural workers in Group II are exposed to more heat stress. The thermal comfort conditions of agricultural workers in Group I deteriorate between 09:00 and 16:00 h with mPET values between 34.1 and 35.3 °C and those of agricultural workers in Group II deteriorate between 08:00 and 17:00 h with mPET values between 34.3 and 37.7 °C. In this context, the daily comfortable working time in the morning and afternoon was found to be 9 h for Group I and 7 h for Group II. Overall, determining the comfortable working hours of agricultural workers in regions with different climate types in future studies will be an important resource for decision-makers in developing strategies to protect the health and increase the productivity of agricultural workers.

An Analysis of Papers on Migration Presented at National Public Health Congresses

Objective: Although the topic of migration in Turkey was brought back into focus following the Syrian civil war in 2011, it has long been an issue in our country, particularly regarding irregular migrants and seasonal agricultural workers. The impact of migration movements is felt across all aspects of public health. An examination of public health congresses highlights how global and national changes impact scientific advancements in public health. This study aims to investigate the migration-related papers presented at National Public Health Congresses, categorized by year. Methods: The population of this descriptive-review study consisted of the papers presented in 24 Public Health Congresses held in Turkey between 1988 and 2022. The selected papers were evaluated by bibliometric method and content analysis. Results: The 8,451 papers in the congress books were analyzed and 131 relevant papers were evaluated. While 58.8% of the papers are about external migration movements, 93.5% of them are about forced migration movements. Seasonal agricultural workers are the most studied group in internal migration studies. While the weight of the papers presented before 2012 was related to the internal migration movements, the focus of the papers presented in the congresses in 2012 and after was shifted to the forced-external migration studies, especially the studies related to the Syrians. Occupational health was the most frequently studied topic concerning internal migration movements. For external migration movements, the most commonly studied topic was women's and reproductive health. Less than 10% of the papers were sent from nursing faculties. Conclusion: In recent years, it has been observed that internal migration research has lost its weight in migration health research and migration health research has not gone beyond some basic topics.

An Evaluation of Living Conditions and Dietary Habits of Seasonal Migrant Agricultural Workers: The Example of Turkey

ABSTRACT Objective The nutritional status of seasonal migrant agricultural workers is negatively affected by problems with working conditions, wages, accommodations, and living conditions. This study aimed to investigate the living conditions, dietary habits, and food consumption frequency of seasonal migrant agricultural workers in Turkey. Methods This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in July and August 2022 in the neighborhoods of Akçadağ district in Malatya Province, Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of 262 seasonal migrant agricultural workers aged 15 and over who came to the region for the apricot harvest. The data were obtained using the face-to-face interview technique via a two-part questionnaire including questions on socio-demographic characteristics, living conditions, dietary behaviors and food consumption frequency. Results The mean age of the seasonal migrant agricultural workers was 24.16 ± 0.75, and they worked 12.01 ± 0.10 hours per day on average. It was determined 74.8% of the workers had access to clean water, and 50.4% did not think they had an adequate and balanced diet. It was found only 57.3% of the workers had a normal body mass index, 80.2% never ate fish, 53.8% never ate red meat, and 67.2% never drank milk, while only 34.4% were able to eat seasonal vegetables. Conclusion The findings of the study show that seasonal migrant agricultural workers in Turkey do not have suitable conditions in terms of food and accommodations, and their working conditions, wages, and health conditions are inadequate. These deficiencies have a negative effect on workers’ quality of life and health status.

Review of the Knowledge, Barriers, and Facilitators of HPV Vaccination among Latino Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in the United States.

One subgroup of Latinos whose healthcare needs must be more thoroughly addressed is the roughly three million farmworkers pursuing seasonal agricultural work within the United States (U.S.). Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW) face compounded political, social, and personal contexts that complicate healthcare access. Although the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prevents HPV infections and cancers, uptake among Hispanic adolescents remains suboptimal. Therefore, it is important to understand Latino MSFW's HPV knowledge, as well as barriers to and facilitators of vaccination so culturally appropriate measures can bolster vaccination. An integrative review was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using key search terms. Results were evaluated for compatibility with inclusion/exclusion criteria, and selected articles were coded and evaluated via thematic analysis. Six studies of various designs were ultimately included in the review. While some Latino MSFW have baseline knowledge about HPV and the vaccine, knowledge gaps remain. Participants expressed curiosity about how the vaccine works, contents, side effects, dosing, recommended age, and information about prevented diseases. Although additional education and MSFW's receptiveness to provider's recommendations were cited as major facilitators, many barriers also need addressed. Providers must leverage MSFW's existing knowledge, provide education, and facilitate vaccination to protect farmworker families from HPV and related cancers. It must become standard practice for providers to recommend the HPV vaccine to MSFW, who are receptive to this conversation. Increasing vaccination can decrease the disproportionate burden of HPV-related cancers on patients and facilitate access to healthcare services.

Evaluation of Seasonal Hazelnut Workers' Emergency Department Applications in Ordu Province: A Retrospective Study

Objective: In Turkey, agricultural worker migration occurs in order to maintain different regulations and management in different seasons. Seasonal agricultural workers (SAWs) may also cause problems such as not knowing the conditions of the region they go to, experiencing health problems due to seasonal conditions, and increased workload in local institutions brought about by population growth due to humidity. This study aimed to evaluate the emergency service applications of seasonal hazelnut workers during the hazelnut harvesting season and to find solutions to possible health problems. Method: It was a single-center, retrospective study and the applications of seasonal hazelnut workers who applied to the local tertiary emergency department between 01 August 2022 and 30 September 2022 were evaluated. The socio-demographic characteristics of non-pregnant patients aged 18 and over, their reasons for admission to the emergency department, and the treatments they received were recorded. Results: 400 patients with no missing data were included in the study. 60.2% of the patients included in the study were female and 19% were SAWs who were not registered in the population of Ordu province. It was determined that the most common causes of SAWs in emergency department admissions were allergic reactions with at 37.3% and trauma with at 26%. Conclusion: It is observed that SAWs increase the rates of emergency service admissions during the hazelnut harvesting season. We think that in this period, the employment of healthcare personnel should be increased, SAWs should be trained in terms of diseases that may occur due to environmental factors and working conditions, and the necessary health plans should be determined in advance.

Investing in technology to address labour shortages in UK fresh produce and horticulture: How does this redefine standards of good agricultural practice

The global agri-food sector is becoming more fragile as a result of supply chain shocks like COVID-19, Brexit and conflict, which is posing a growing challenge to the horticultural industry. As a result, it is becoming clearer how crucial seasonal agricultural migrant workers are to ensuring food security. Delivering GAP requires taking into account the effects of COVID-19 and Brexit on the UK’s fresh produce and horticulture sectors as well as the potential for increased demand for automation and Agriculture 4.0. In the medium and long run, the market conditions may favourably accelerate automation and the adoption of Agriculture 4.0 as a workable solution to the workforce shortage. The greatest opportunities for automation and the application of new technology will be found in the transport, harvest, and post-harvest processes. Investment in automation and technology adoption depends on access to finance, appropriate training and upskilling, and other stakeholders’ support (e.g. by retailers). We conclude that understanding the need for automation, embracing Agriculture 4.0, utilising labour schemes, and envisioning how work and farming will change in the future is critical when examining GAP in the context of an integrated approach within the fresh produce and horticulture sectors.

Evaluation of Variables Affecting Depression Symptoms in Seasonal Agricultural Workers

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to examine the depression and related factors of seasonal agricultural work (SAW) patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) in the light of sociodemographic data. Material and Method: The patients’ functionality levels were measured with the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) and their depression levels with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: Data of 47 patients, including 28 females and 19 males, were analysed. While the genders were similar in terms of mean age (p=0.809), the duration of education was higher in males (p=0.027). The presence of additional psychiatric disorders other than MDD was higher in females (p=0.027). History of alcohol and substance abuse was more common in males (p0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between GAS and BDI (r=-0.864; p

Water insecurity among seasonal agriculture workers: perspectives from Spanish professionals

BackgroundMigrant seasonal agricultural workers face conditions of material vulnerability such as inadequate housing difficulties prevent access to running water supplies. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of professionals involved in the care and support of seasonal migrant agricultural workers, as it relates to water access and water consumption and their impact on these workers’ health, in a context of COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative exploratory and descriptive study was conducted in 2021 as part of a larger research project, based on 63 personal semi-structured interviews with professionals who provided support to seasonal migrant agricultural workers in three Spanish autonomous regions. COREQ checklist was used for reporting. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and imported into ATLAS.ti-9 for an inductive thematic analysis. Results: The results have been structured into two main themes: (1) Accessing and obtaining water; and (2) Health problems related to water consumption. Seasonal migrant agricultural workers experience barriers to obtaining safe water for hygiene, cleaning, food preparation and drinking. The implementation of regulations to reduce COVID-19 transmission resulted in improved hygiene levels in the migrants’ quarters, including access to safe drinking water. Conclusion: This study suggests that water insecurity experienced by migrant seasonal agricultural workers in Spain results from their poor living conditions and causes health problems related to a lack of hygiene and the use of unsafe water. Sustainable solutions are needed beyond the pandemic in order to provide migrant workers with adequate living conditions and ensure their water needs are fulfilled.

Childrens’ attachment story-completions and their theory of mind in three Turkish contexts: Seasonal migrant agricultural worker communities, residential group homes, and rural villages

ABSTRACT This study examines the association between attachment story-completions, as evaluated by a representational attachment measure, and theory of mind (ToM) among 204 socioeconomically disadvantaged children aged four to six years living in three distinct Turkish contexts: Seasonal migrant agricultural worker (SMAW) communities, residential group homes (RGHs), and rural villages. Attachment story-completions and ToM were found to be related to the distinct contexts children were living in. In the SMAW communities, higher number of children showed insecure dominant attachment, with only one in four having secure dominant attachment. About half of the children in the RGHs had insecure dominant attachment. However, the majority of village children exhibited secure dominant attachment. Furthermore, irrespective of the context, secure dominant attachment was found to have a substantial positive influence on children’s ToM. Findings suggest that early intervention programs tailored to address emotional needs and support cognitive skills may be the most effective in helping children in these contexts.

“It’s like We’re Still in Slavery”: Stress as Distress and Discourse among Jamaican Farm Workers in Ontario, Canada

For more than fifty years, Jamaican farm workers have been seasonally employed in Canada under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). In Canada, these workers live and work in conditions that make them vulnerable to various health issues, including poor mental health. This ethnographic study investigated Jamaican SAWP workers’ mental health experiences in Southern Ontario. Several common factors that engender psychological distress among Jamaican workers, ranging from mild to extreme suffering, were uncovered and organised into five themes: (1) family, (2) work environments and SAWP relations, (3) living conditions and isolation, (4) racism and social exclusion, and (5) illness and injury. I found that Jamaican workers predominantly use the term ‘stress’ to articulate distress, and they associate experiences of suffering with historic plantation slavery. Analysis of workers’ stress discourses revealed their experiences of psychological distress are structured by the conditions of the SAWP and their social marginalisation in Ontario. This article presents and discusses these findings in the context of SAWP power dynamics and concludes with policy recommendations aimed at improving the mental health of all SAWP workers. In foregrounding the experiences of Jamaican workers, this study addresses the dearth of research on the health and wellbeing of Caribbean SAWP workers.

Harvesting precarity: The regimes governing migrant labor in Türkiye’s agricultural sector

Migrant labor is widely used in agricultural production in many parts of Türkiye especially during the harvesting season. This article explores the precaritization process of seasonal agricultural labor markets in Türkiye by highlighting how three regimes—migration management, labor bonding and recruitment—work simultaneously to regulate migrant labor supply. By attracting vulnerable and cheap labor of Syrian, Azeri and Georgian workers, the Turkish agricultural sector has extended its reach to the most disadvantaged groups and intensified the precaritization of the labor force. Based on empirical findings from previous fieldworks conducted between 2015 and 2019 in various agricultural sites throughout Türkiye, this paper argues that precaritization is not only a result of working conditions and job characteristics in the agricultural sector but also a consequence of these three regimes working harmoniously as they generate competition among different worker groups for existing jobs. While migration regime and restrictions on migrant labor determine migrant and refugee labor’s living and working conditions, intermediaries and ethnic ties also facilitate the integration of precarious labor into seasonal wage work. The paper provides valuable insights into the dynamics of labor exploitation in the agricultural sector in Türkiye and the need for regulatory mechanisms that protect the rights of seasonal agricultural workers.

“Non-Lieu” of women seasonal agricultural workers in everyday life geographies: A study on the sample of Şanlıurfa

Gündelik yaşam coğrafyalarında gündelik pratikleri ve toplumsal mekânı örgütleyen toplumsal ilişkiler sisteminin sürekliliği içinde kadınlar, farklı mekânsal dokularda benzer gündelik-mekânsal pratiklerini deneyimlemektedir. Toplumsal aktörlerin etkileşimleri gündelik-mekânsal pratikler aracılığıyla zamana ve mekâna içkin dinamiklere göre farklılaşır ya da aynılaşır. Bu araştırmada mevsimlik tarım işçisi kadınların gündelik-mekânsal pratiklerini, sürekli olarak ikamet ettikleri kentsel mekân ile çalışma alanları olan tarladaki iktidar ilişkileri bağlamında nasıl ve ne şekillerde deneyimlediklerini incelenmektedir. Bu analiz için Lefebvre’nin toplumsal mekân ile gündelik yaşam eleştirisine odaklanan teorisi ve Bourdieu’nün toplumsal aktörlerin pratiklerini toplumsal uzam içindeki konumları üzerinden değerlendiren sermaye, alan ve habitus kavramlarından yararlanılmıştır. Bu amaçla, Şanlıurfa kent merkezinde ağırlıklı olarak mevsimlik tarım işçilerinin yaşadığı üç mahallede mevsimlik tarım işçisi kadınlarla yarı yapılandırılmış ve derinlemesine görüşme teknikleri kullanılarak saha araştırması yapılmış, elde edilen bulgular nitel olarak analiz edilmiştir.

The Canadian ‘War of the Two Sugars’: Homegrown Sugar Beets and the Racial Stratification of Labour

Abstract This paper provides a history of more than a century of efforts to establish and maintain a homegrown Canadian sugar supply – a twentieth-century version of what Eric Williams called the ‘war of the two sugars’, or the global competition between sugar beet and cane. To resolve beet sugar’s so-called ‘labour problem’, the industry has collaborated with the Canadian state to produce new classes of temporary workers, mobilising incarcerated Japanese Canadians, migrant Indigenous families, and Mexican and Caribbean workers employed through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. At the same time, the sugar industry has sought to refine itself of the racialised workers upon whom it relies by promoting the figure of the white Canadian worker. The Canadian ‘war of the two sugars’ has been fought through the stratification of the labour force along the lines of citizenship, resulting in the production of unique racial forms.

The impact of the influx of Syrian refugees on rural areas of Türkiye

The rapid and significant influx of Syrian refugees to Türkiye, has transformed rural communities in Türkiye significantly in terms of living space, social and economic aspects. This study was conducted through a time-series survey over approximately four years beginning in 2016. The study area selected for this study was Çukurkuyu town, situated within the Niğde province in the Central Anatolia region of Türkiye. We argue that over this time period, conflicts and frictions between locals and Syrian refugees changed in terms of the object and intensity of the conflicts over time. The community members in the study area experienced significant confusion and conflict in the early days following large influxes of Syrian refugees. However, as refugees gradually migrated to urban areas in large numbers, and living spaces became separated from local people, confusion and conflicts were alleviated. On the other hand, competition for employment with seasonal Turkish agricultural workers living in the same temporary residential areas and engaged in the same agricultural activities, and conflicts over wage decreases emerged.

NoBodies

<p>The production of fruit, vegetables, and other horticultural crops in Canada relies upon the embodied labour of migrant agricultural workers who plant, prune, and harvest these crops. Using a feminist geopolitical lens, I foreground the bodies of these workers as these bodies are situated at the intersection of everyday lived experiences and systems of capitalist production through, in this case, Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). Drawing on workers’ experiences of their bodies in the context of the regulatory provisions of the SAWP, I highlight the contradictory disembodiment of agricultural workers at the same time that their bodies are necessary to provide the physical labour at the heart of fruit and vegetable production. The disembodiment of these workers is possible because of their status as racialized non-citizens: while Canadians can insist upon the recognition of their bodies, migrant agricultural workers cannot. The disjuncture between embodied labour and embodied subjectivities was exacerbated with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected on migrant agricultural workers – through their bodies – while in Canada. Given the relative safety afforded to those who held citizenship (and other permanent) status in Canada, I argue that the active disembodiment of migrant agricultural workers in Canada demonstrates the ways that embodiment is a privilege that is tightly bound to citizenship.</p>

The Impact of COVID-19 on Migrant Agricultural Workers in Ontario

Migrant agricultural workers (MAWs) who enter the province through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 due to gaps in the policy that ensure they are treated fairly.

From Migrant to Transnational Families’ Mental Health: An Ethnography of Five Mexican Families Participating in Agricultural Labour in Canada

This focused critical ethnography aimed to deepen our understanding of the impact of participating in a temporary, cyclical, low-wage migration program on the mental and emotional health (MEH) of Mexican women and their non-migrating family members. Except for global care chains research, the field of migrant mental health has paid limited attention to the importance of transnational family dynamics and the MEH of relatives beyond the workers’ children. The current study broadens this framework to examine how family-level changes brought about by migration affect the MEH not only the migrant and her children, but also extended family members. Participants included five women employed in the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and an average of five non-migrating members of their families in Mexico. The study combined four data generation methods: participant observation, ‘emojional’ calendars, semi-structured interviews, and sociodemographic questionnaires. Study participants’ MEH was significantly influenced by gendered selection processes and the cyclical pattern of migration. Similar impacts were observed within and across four groups of participants (workers, their children, the children’s caregivers, and extended family members) during their periods apart and together. There were significant effects of their relative’s migration on the MEH of extended family members, a population group commonly overlooked in the literature. Findings from this study suggest that public health research, programs, and policies using a transnational approach are best suited to effectively address the impacts of migration on the MEH of migrants and their non-migrating families.

Essential Work: Eastern European Immigrants and Models of Participation

This article investigates the relationship between a marginalised community of essential workers and dominant models of participation. I focus on Agri-Care, The Royals, and Alien Species, projects created in collaboration between Eastern European seasonal agricultural workers in Jersey and the artist Alicja Rogalska, and analyse them through a productive confrontation with theories of participation. I begin by juxtaposing Jacques Rancière’s ideas of aesthetic regime as interpreted by Claire Bishop, to Rogalska’s sculpting workshops conducted with Jersey Royal potato pickers. I argue that Rogalska shifts the aesthetic experience from audiences onto participants, repositioning ‘unskilled’, manual labour as craft, and uncovering seasonal workers as craftspeople, holding expertise. As a result, Rogalska disassembles the idea of low-skilled labour. The article then confronts Miwon Kwon’s ideas of a disobedient community with Rogalska’s making of a community, ostensibly coherent and ‘compliant’ but subverting the fleeting group of temporary workers into a permanent precariat, the backbone of the local economy. The participatory process and its subsequent introduction into the local archives, I argue, impose a different relation between permanent and temporary locals of Jersey, with the latter now embedded into local institutions. I end by considering why these participatory projects seem incompatible with theories on participation and suggest this incompatibility stems from the arts’ preoccupation with virtuosic labour. The concept of artists as the ultimate precarious workers of late-capitalism, I argue, excludes the communities at the extreme of late capitalist exploitation from artistic attention and the scope of art subsidy, depoliticising art practice in the process.