Thread: WA-Many Wash. farmworkers indigenous Mexicans

Survey: Many Wash. farmworkers indigenous Mexicans
By MANUEL VALDES Associated Press Writer © 2008 The Associated Press
Aug. 20, 2008, 3:07AM
SEATTLE — Indigenous Mexicans make up nearly a quarter of the farmhands who pick the apples, cherries and other crops in western Washington, a new survey has found.

The survey — "A Sustainable Bounty: Investing in Our Agricultural Future" — was conducted by the Washington State Farmworker Housing Trust and released last week. More than 2,800 farmworkers in 14 Washington counties were interviewed for the survey in 2006.

Statewide, indigenous farmworkers were 3 percent of those surveyed, while 95 percent of all farmworkers called themselves Mexican or Mexican-American. Indigenous peoples from Latin America are the direct descendants of the inhabitants who lived in the region before colonial times.

The number of indigenous workers "shows the dire economic situation for indigenous people in Latin America," said Rosalinda Guillen, one of the survey coordinators.

She echoed an argument suggesting that an overflow of American goods — specifically corn — drove the indigenous from their lands after many could not compete with cheap goods from the north. Many were self-sustainable farmers, working small plots of land.

The survey found that around 18 percent of those who said Spanish was not their first language reported that they could not read or write in Spanish.

County sheriff's deputies, who patrol the rural areas where many of the indigenous migrant workers live and work, also have had to adjust to the additional language barriers.

"You'd find somebody and they'd be speaking what you thought was Spanish, but you'd find that it's something else that's not Spanish," said Skagit County Chief Deputy Will Reichardt.

The survey also found that nearly half of the workers say they don't know if they'll continue working the fields, citing sub-par housing conditions plagued by mice, cockroaches and lack of electricity or water.

Moreover, workers have an average annual household income of around $17,500 — below the federal poverty line. Nearly 6 percent of the 2,800 workers described themselves as homeless, living in cars or sheds. That figure jumps to 15 percent for those workers who migrate from community to community in search of work.

"Recruiting and retaining a stable and skilled work force is becoming increasingly difficult," said Brien Thane, trust executive director. "The survey makes it clear housing is a key factor in stabilizing and sustaining that work force."

For the state's key crops — such as apples and cherries — a lack of hands to pick would mean lost harvests. The state has already seen periodic labor shortages.

The survey reports 91 percent of those questioned said better housing would encourage them to continue working in the fields. They also detailed problems with current housing: 32 percent live in overcrowded units, 23 percent reported rodent infestation and others reported lack of heat and poor water quality.

The issue of farmworker housing is contentious. Some farmers and local government officials want the state to relax housing regulations. The state, meanwhile, has to inspect hundreds of housing units and respond to calls of unlicensed camps.

In Douglas County, more than 350 cherry pickers live in military-type tents in a field next to the airport in East Wenatchee.

County Commissioner Ken Stanton has criticized the state for allowing this, saying that farmers are reluctant to build onsite housing because of regulations.

"Give some breaks to farmers to house these folks onsite," Stanton said.

Debra Fisher, who supervises migrant housing for the state Department of Health, said regulations on housing would not be relaxed.

"I think it would move to the area of jeopardizing health and safety," Fisher said.

Meanwhile, the Washington Farm Bureau is working on its own projects to provide housing.

Dan Fazio, director of employer services for the bureau, said a project that would build a motel-like building where workers could rent rooms for low prices is being planned in Franklin County. The building would be used by various farmers to house their workers.

The survey also found that 80 percent of workers didn't have health insurance, 66 percent reported they did not receive assistance from the government and 11 percent own their own homes.

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On the Net:

The Washington State Farmworker Housing Trust, http://www.farmworkerhousingtrust.org





http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5954821.html

She echoed an argument suggesting that an overflow of American goods — specifically corn — drove the indigenous from their lands after many could not compete with cheap goods from the north. Many were self-sustainable farmers, working small plots of land.

Ok, so let's stop sending anything to them, in their native lands, and then they can start self-sustaining again, IN THEIR HOMELANDS INSTEAD OF HERE!

The survey also found that nearly half of the workers say they don't know if they'll continue working the fields, citing sub-par housing conditions plagued by mice,cockroaches and lack of electricity or water.

Ok, cockroaches are NOT at ALL native to the Northwest, so any cockroaches they have in their places, are because they brought them in their stuff and infested the places themselves. Oregon and Washington have ZERO issues of cockroaches, with exception to places that have been lived in by people coming up from places such as Mexico, Central Americas, California, and other SW states. Mice, yeah we have mice up here, and all it takes is to set out sticky traps, mice are not bright (or...one could employ the natural method, cats, we have 2 and never had a mouse problem).

Moreover, workers have an average annual household income of around $17,500 — below the federal poverty line.

Boohoo, we live on just $10,000.00 more than that, and we are American citizens who pay taxes and do not get all sorts of bennies due to being an illegal alien (you know, the free clinics, free food help...).

The survey reports 91 percent of those questioned said better housing would encourage them to continue working in the fields.

Why on earth do we want to give them subsidized housing so they will be encouraged to stay? DUH, do not build it and they WON'T come!

"Give some breaks to farmers to house these folks onsite," Stanton said.

No breaks to lawbreaking farmers who hire them illegally!

It's the same in California, they don't even speak Spanish, much less English!

And the open border freaks expect us to believe these illegals if amnestied will become assimilated Americans? After 500 years of Spanish influence they haven't yet even learned to speak Spanish!