Justice for Migrant Women reports that there are between 300,000 and 500,000 child farm workers in the U.S., but the specific number is unknown. What we do know is that these children face many work hazards and lack many basic child labor protections. Every day, around 33 children are injured doing farm work. And a child working in agriculture dies about every three days.
Under the current labor law, children as young as 12 can work unlimited hours outside of school with parental permission. Child labor is prevalent in agriculture because families have no other option but to ask their children to work in the fields to help pay necessary expenses. When parents make poverty wages, they need their children to work too.
We urge people of faith and conscience to help reduce child labor in agriculture. This Harvest of Justice, stand in solidarity with farm workers and help make a difference in the living and working conditions of farm workers and their families.
Weekly Program Schedule:
Throughout the Harvest of Justice Season, use our social media toolkit to raise awareness about child labor in agriculture and how people can help make a difference for farm workers and their families. Click below for weekly resources.
Download this week’s two-sided information sheet in English or Spanish. Reflect on the information with your community.
For this week, watch the main video in English or Spanish.
Take Action: Contact your congressional representatives and ask them to support the “Children’s Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety (CARE Act).” This bill provides basic child labor protections to U.S child farm workers — protections enjoyed by all other working children.
Download this week’s two-sided information sheet in English or Spanish. Reflect on the information with your community.
Watch the short video for this week: https://youtu.be/GTQgBAiFtgk
Take Action: If parents are paid livable wages, their children are less likely to need to work. Support the “Fairness for Farm Workers Act” which would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to include agricultural workers in its overtime provisions and remove most of the remaining exclusions of farm workers from the minimum wage.
Download this week’s two-sided information sheet in English or Spanish. Reflect on the information with your community.
Watch the short video for this week: https://youtu.be/0pFTiGYD3W4
Take Action: Youth are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. Support the “Asuncion Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act” which requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to implement a national heat stress standard.
Download this week’s two-sided information sheet in English or Spanish. Reflect on the information with your community.
Watch the short video for this week: https://youtu.be/q2kJVx9KJAs
Take Action: Contact your legislators and ask them to support the “Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act.” The bill amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to fully protect the safety of children and the environment and to remove dangerous pesticides from use.
Download this week’s two-sided information sheet in English or Spanish. Reflect on the information with your community.
Watch the short video for this week: https://youtu.be/mjfgSvWWnbw
Take Action: Contact your congressional representatives and press for immigration reform that includes a reasonable path to citizenship for farm workers and their children.
Download this week’s two-sided information sheet in English or Spanish. Reflect on the information with your community.
Watch the short video for this week: https://youtu.be/6GSncSqZ_9g
Take Action: Show your support for the Migrant Education Program by ensuring your state or local community has ample funding for this program and migrant youth have the quality educational resources they deserve from preschool all the way to college.
Additional Resources:
1. Download our social media toolkit for weekly posts and graphics.
2. Watch our short episode on mental health and child workers.
3. Sign up for our webinar about child labor in agriculture on Sept. 27th.
4. Contact us to request a speaker for your group on this topic.
5. Visit our “Children in the Fields” web page to learn more.
References: Harvest of Justice 2022 References