If you live in the U.S. and you’ve eaten in the past few days (if you’re reading this, chances are you have), you have benefited from the labor of a farm worker. Without farm workers, our multi-billion-dollar agricultural industry could not survive.
You might be surprised to know that the vast majority of fruits and vegetables are handpicked by farm workers. These foods are often too delicate to be handled by machines, and need to be picked by hand to ensure they’re harvested at the right time.
The majority of Farm workers are youth and young adults — just like you — who work hard to put food on your plate. Is a life of alienation, isolation, and exploitation how we should be thanking the people who feed us?
The foods on your plate do not exist in a vacuum. We all participate in — and are accountable for — a food system made up of farm workers, the growers who employ them, and companies like grocery stores and restaurants that distribute and sell the food we eat. We are connected to — and indeed dependent on — farm workers. This is why we invite you to stand in solidarity with farm workers as they organize to improve their working and living conditions. We believe that farm work is hard work, and the people who do it should be treated with dignity and respect.
Across the country, farm workers are demanding a seat at the table with the people that have the ability to change these conditions and a voice in the communities they sustain. Join us in standing with them until farm workers get the justice they deserve. We welcome young adults to contact us about sharing in our campaigns, participating in our advocacy efforts, promoting our educational resources in their churches/community groups/regional organizations, and joining us for events.