farmworkers Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

They Came To Central Washington To Work, Then They Got The Mumps

By NWPB News May 8, 2019

Carlos Perez Carillo walks amid a fruit orchard outside of Mattawa in central Washington. He’s not far from where the workers who’ve been exposed to mumps are being quarantined at King Fuji Ranch. He says he’s been warned to stay away. CREDIT: ANNA KING/N3

H2A workers tend to be pretty isolated already. Housing is often tucked away in the orchards, away from towns, and getting sick can complicate things. Farmworker advocates criticize the H2A program can leave workers vulnerable. The exposed workers in Mattawa, near Vantage, Wash., are now stuck on the farm until the disease passes. It’s a long period of isolation, which Read More

As Wildfires Burn, Smoke Chokes Out Northwest Farmworkers And Delays Some Crops

By Anna King August 29, 2018

Workers in dust masks wash fresh red bell peppers in smoky conditions outside of Eltopia, Wash. Even with the masks, the smoke is still causing tight chests, itchy eyes and dry throats. CREDIT: ANNA KING/N3

Smoke from wildfires is blanketing much of the West. That's ruining some crops and may be stunting others. And it's making it difficult or unsafe for laborers to pick the harvest. Continue Reading As Wildfires Burn, Smoke Chokes Read More

Smoke Makes Washington Farmworkers Cover Up, But No Regulations Require Provided Masks

By Esmy Jimenez August 17, 2018

Smoky skies in Central Washington this week have made it hard to see distant mountains, and harder for some farmworkers to breathe clean air. CREDIT: ESMY JIMENEZ/NWPB

You’ve probably seen and felt it this week: a blanket of grey haze over large parts of the region. Smoke from wildfires in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and California has led to poor air quality, causing health experts to caution: minimize your exposure. So how do people who work outdoors fare? Read More

Oregon Finalizes Farmworker Pesticide Protection Standards

By Jes Burns July 5, 2018

Advocates at a protest in Medford say new Oregon OSHA rules won't protect farmworkers. CREDIT: JES BURNS

Oregon has adopted new rules to protect farmworkers from pesticides. The new regulations establish zones around pesticide applications that workers cannot enter. It also allows workers the choice to take shelter in housing or other structures instead of moving away. Read More

In Central Washington, Housing Crunch Exacerbated By Need For Foreign Farm Labor

By Esmy Jimenez June 11, 2018

Black and white photo of a Yakima neighborhood with text saying no vacancy

The housing shortage in Yakima is coupled with a farm labor shortage. When workers do come, where do they live? The largest farmworker complex in the state opened in Yakima this month. The revamped FairBridge hotel now hosts 800 beds for temporary farm workers. As it opens, critics think it may set a dangerous precedent: Other farmers might start buying up area housing for Read More

Largest Farmworker Complex In State Opens In Yakima As Concerns Of Housing Shortages Echo

By Esmy Jimenez June 1, 2018

The FairBridge Hotel in Yakima, Wash., is the site of the largest farmworker housing complex in the state.

Yakima will soon be home to the largest farmworker housing complex in Washington. The revamped FairBridge hotel officially opened Friday, June 1, and the first guest workers will be housed there beginning June 11th. Read More

‘People Are Giving Up’: Low Attendance, But Hope For Future, At Yakima May Day March

By Esmy Jimenez May 1, 2018

Maria Cuevas, a farmworker and community activist in Yakima, has marched in every Yakima May Day gathering since 1986, including with Cesar Chavez. CREDIT: ESMY JIMENEZ/NWPB

May Day demonstrations happened around the Northwest May 1, including in Latino-concentrated Yakima. The peaceful gathering focused on immigration reform. But the turnout was low compared to previous years with only a couple hundred people there. Read More

For Farmworkers’ Kids, Country Air Means Dust, Pesticides And Asthma

By Eilís O'Neil April 26, 2018

Patricia Marin says her daughter Azul has been suffering from asthma since she was just a baby. CREDIT: COURTNEY FLATT

Most people think of asthma as a city kid problem — but it turns out rural kids are just as likely to have asthma. And the children of the people who grow our food are especially vulnerable. Researchers at the University of Washington and the Yakima Valley Farm Workers’ Clinic are working on a new approach to solving the problem. Read More

Washington L&I Fines Farm For Violations; Lawsuit Previously Filed After Worker’s Death

By Esmy Jimenez February 1, 2018

Sarbanand Farms farmworkers demonstrate after coworker's death in August 2017.

Barbaro Rosas and Guadalupe Tapia both picked blueberries for Sarbanand Farms in Sumas, Washington. Rosas and Tapia are now part of a lawsuit hoping to gain class-action status alleging workplace labor violations by the farms. Continue Read More