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August 10, 2008
Migrants feeling pinch
Food drive helps laborers who have little agricultural work this season
By GEORGIA PABST
Wautoma -
Every summer for the past five years, Hilario Coronado, his wife and
their five children have traveled the migrant seasonal farmworker's path
from the fields of Texas to North Carolina to Wisconsin, picking fruits
and vegetables that help feed the nation.
But since arriving in Wautoma two months ago, they’ve found little work,
said Coronado, who is among the estimated 400 migrant farmworkers who
come to Wautoma each season and among the 5,000 who enter the state
yearly.
On Sunday, a food drive was held to help workers like Coronado and his
family. Sponsored by the United Migrant Opportunity Services, it gave
families boxes filled with pinto beans, macaroni, cereal, rice and other
nonperishable food items.
The event was part of the organization’s ninth annual migrant farmworker
appreciation day.
This season, many migrant families are struggling to survive. The
reason? The harvest of corn, potatoes and peppers has been delayed
because freezing winter snows forced farmers to push back planting, and
the spring floods ruined or delayed crops, said Juan Jose Lopez,
director of Wisconsin’s Bureau of Migrant, Refugee and Labor Services.
Although work is starting to pick up, the earlier weather problems not
only hurt farmers, but farmworkers as well, said Rod Ritcherson, a
spokesman for United Migrant Opportunity Services, or UMOS, which aids
migrant farmworkers.
“We felt we wanted to collect food to offset the floods and other
economic problems that are making things difficult for everyone in the
local economy,” said Chris Cuevas, who is the director of child
development programs for UMOS.
Coronado, 33, was one of the many who lined up at the food bank for some
of the staples that he said will come in handy.
About 225 workers and their families were on hand Sunday for the event,
which took place in the parking lot of a St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
“There’s some work, but not enough,” said Leonardo Hernandez, 24, who
picked up some food with his wife, Theresa, 22, and their three young
children.
The family worked in the strawberry fields in Florida before coming to
Wisconsin, where Leonardo and Theresa say there has been far too much
idle time.
Sister Pat Flanigan, who heads Hispanic ministry at St. Joseph’s, said
this year, many migrant farmworkers have arrived later then usual.
“Normally, a large number of workers come in June, but this year it’s
varied and confusing, and some growers told workers not to come at all,”
she said.
Under state law, a migrant worker is classified as someone who comes to
the state to work 10 months or less, with the duration lasting usually
three to six months, Lopez said.
The majority of workers contract with the farmer, but most are
guaranteed a minimum of 20 hours of work a week. If there’s no crop to
attend to, they can help with cleaning the fields, planting or other
chores.
But many bank on working six or so days a week at jobs that local
residents won’t take, Lopez said.
Migrant farmworkers who come to Wisconsin make on average from $10,000
to $12,000 a year, said Ritcherson.
Situated in the middle of the state, Waushara County, where Wautoma is
located, contains the largest concentration of migrant workers in
Wisconsin, Lopez said.
But that number has been declining since 2003 due to farm mechanization.
“And I’m sure the issue of immigration has had an impact, and you can’t
ignore or deny that,” Lopez said, referring to illegal immigration and
crackdowns by U.S. authorities.
To coincide with the migrant worker activities, the Wisconsin Council on
Migrant Labor, which is made up of legislative, migrant and grower
representatives, held its annual forum in St. Joseph’s Church.
Ted Kay, executive director of the Family Health La Clinica in Wautoma,
which serves migrant workers, said the spread of the migrant labor work
force to many more counties is making it harder to provide health care
services. |