Attorneys: Migrant conditions poor

BY CHRIS KILLIAN / Special to the Gazette

KALAMAZOO -- Tens of thousands of farm workers, both documented and undocumented, stream into Southwest Michigan every spring to harvest fruits and vegetables, supporting an industry that is vitally important to the region's economy.

But most of them live in the shadows, unwilling to speak up about poor living or working conditions for fear of retribution from their employers or of being deported if they are here illegally, according to attorneys from Bangor-based Farmworker Legal Services, an advocate group for area farm workers.

It shouldn't be that way, the attorneys said Monday at a forum at Kalamazoo College attended by about 30 people on the current living and working conditions experienced by area farm workers.

The attorneys said:

· State agencies, understaffed as a result of the state's sluggish economy, are failing to adequately rein in employers who break regulatory rules.

· They also are not ensuring that regulations, concerning everything from workers having enough drinking water to protecting them from dangerous pesticides, are being followed.

``This is a moral issue for the workers, but it's also an issue of ensuring that we have a safe food supply,'' said Jennifer Mashek, an attorney with Farmworker Legal Services. ``These workers provide an important service to our area and they deserve to be treated well.''

Farmworker Legal Services attorneys focused on housing, field sanitation and pesticide exposure at the forum. Here are some of the problems reported to them in those different areas.

Field sanitation

State regulations require that while on the job, workers be given adequate time to go to the bathroom and be provided with hand wash areas. Cool, potable drinking water also must be provided.

Incidents reported:

· No bathroom facilities, which forces workers to relieve themselves in the fields.

· Not enough drinking water. Drinking water provided in unsanitary containers.

Pesticide exposure

Large-scale, single-crop farming operations -- like the blueberry fields and apple orchards that are so prevalent in the region -- are more susceptible to insect infestation than farms with more plant diversity. That means they need to be sprayed with more pesticides. Even if workers are only exposed to small doses of pesticides, that exposure over time can present significant health problems.

Incidents reported:

· Lack of education to workers about potential health problems from pesticide exposure.

· Accidental spraying of pesticides on workers.

``It's a sad and dire situation these workers are often facing and it's only going to get worse if enforcement isn't stepped-up,'' Farmworker Legal Services attorney Adam Jeffries said.

Housing

Units must be inspected by Michigan Department of Agriculture officials before workers can begin living in them and must have basic amenities, like washers and dryers, cooking facilities and toilets, which are usually outhouses.

Incidents reported:

· Some camp owners failing to empty trash from containers.

· Problems with utilities, like leaking gas pipes, not being fixed.

· Inadequate bathroom facilities.

Farm labor information

Number of workers statewide in 2006: 45,800.

Ethnicity: Mostly Hispanic of Mexican descent.

Percent that are foreign born: 30.

Number of workers in southwest Michigan in 2006: About 23,000.

Average level of education: Sixth grade.

Number of work camps statewide in 2006: 811, with 3,900 units and space for 22,500 people.

Source: Farmworker Legal Services.