To: Board of Supervisors
From: Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Report Title: Resolution recognizing the week of March 25th to March 31st as Farmworker Awareness Week in Contra Costa County
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE Resolution recognizing the week of March 25th to March 31st as Farmworker Awareness Week in Contra Costa County
FISCAL IMPACT:
None
BACKGROUND:
None
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
None
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
and for Special Districts, Agencies and Authorities Governed by the Board
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IN THE MATTER OF Recognizing the week of March 25th to March 31st as Farmworker Awareness Week in Contra Costa County
WHEREAS, farmworkers are important and valued members of communities across the country and are essential workers who provide invaluable and needed goods and services; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture estimates that agricultural and food employment accounts for 10 percent of employment in the United States with an estimated 2.5-3 million men, women, and children working in fields across the country and 900,000 workers in California; and
WHEREAS, farm work is often highly skilled, including operating complex machinery, but farmworkers often do not receive the compensation they deserve; more than a third of skilled full-time farmworkers in the United States earn less than $20,000 a year; and
WHEREAS, farmworkers are at an increased risk of experiencing unsafe working conditions, with the rate of illness and injury among agricultural employees being 37 times higher than that of nonagricultural workers; farmworkers often must wear long sleeves and head protection (or hats) to protect themselves from extreme weather conditions, especially high heat; and
WHEREAS, farmworkers are not afforded many of the labor protections provided to other workers; and natural disasters often prevent farmworkers from receiving income for weeks or months; and
WHEREAS, despite the above challenges, farmworkers have ensured a reliable food supply for the country, including during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, ‘‘National Farmworker Awareness Week’’ recognizes the contributions of, and the unique issues faced by farmworkers who work in fields, packing, sorting, processing, and other related activities; and a week of appreciation will help younger generations learn where their food comes from.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors do hereby proclaim the week of March 25th through March 31st, 2024, as ‘‘National Farmworker Awareness Week.”
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