Full Length Research Paper

Vegetable field workers provide insight for improving farm labor retention at the US-Mexican border

Kurt D. Nolte* and Jorge M. Fonseca

Yuma County Cooperative Extension University of Arizona 2200 W. 28^th St., Suite 102

Yuma, Arizona 85364 USA.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: knolte@ag.arizona.edu.

Tel: 1-928-726-3904. Fax: 1-928-726-8472.

Accepted 21 May, 2010

 Abstract

A 60-question assessment was administered to 305 field workers during 2007 - 2009 to identify factors that could aid US southwest vegetable producers with retaining current field labor. The population surveyed included 38% females and 62% males with over 50% crossing the US/Mexican border daily. Age distribution of the survey participants was 0.9% (< 18 years old), 14.9% (18 - 24 years old), 10.3% (25 - 34 years old), 20.6% (35 - 44 years old), 29.0% (45 - 54 years old), 21.5% (55 - 64 years old) and 2.8% (> 65 years old). Contrary to the conventional belief that salary is the only true mechanism to retain field labor, the study revealed several factors that may also be important. Among workers who do not recommend field labor, over 30% indicated the need for additional work breaks, and up to 23% sought better health care benefits. There was also a marked increase in field work dissatisfaction with increasing age among both male and female workers, a reflection of the physical nature of field work. Overall, this study provides a direction for agricultural labor leaders to initiate efforts aimed at retaining field labor in the southwest, USA.

Keywords: Mexico, immigration reform, Arizona, benefits, job shortage, field labor, USA agriculture, vegetable production.