US Labor Department announces $81 million in available funds to support migrant, seasonal farmworkers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $81 million in available funding through the National Farmworker Jobs Program to provide additional employment, training and housing assistance to migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families.

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers often experience chronic unemployment and underemployment due to the nature of the agriculture industry. The National Farmworker Jobs Program is designed to help participants retain and stabilize their current jobs, and acquire new skills and better living arrangements to start careers that provide higher wages and stable, year-round employment.

“America’s farms and the people who work on them are critical to the life we enjoy. Too often, these workers face significant challenges accessing the resources and training needed to plan for a sustainable future,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. “These grants will provide additional training and services to help farmworkers create better futures for themselves and their families.”

The NJFP grant competition is part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to raise the standards of living for migrant and seasonal farmers, and adheres to the job-driven training principles presented in 2014 by the Vice President’s Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity report.

Authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and administered by the department's Employment and Training Administration, the funding will provide approximately $75,885,000 for Employment and Training Grants to applicants with defined plans to engage employers and offer participants work-based learning opportunities. It will also provide approximately $5,517,000 for Housing Assistance Grants to applicants who have identified the challenges and can implement solutions for migrant and seasonal farmworkers seeking affordable housing.

For more information on the National Farmworker Jobs Program, including a list of current grantees, visit http://www.doleta.gov/msfw/html/nfjp.cfm