US Department of Labor awards $325K to provide education, training, supportive services to migrant, seasonal farmworker youth, young adults

WASHINGTON – As much as Americans depend upon young migrant and seasonal farmworkers to supply fruits and vegetables to their households, few may realize the difficulties these workers face on farms throughout the nation.

Demanding and repetitive physical labor, exposures to difficult weather conditions and hazardous pesticides, and the potential for human trafficking and sexual assault can disrupt the ability of young agricultural workers to complete the education needed to advance in agricultural jobs or secure new career opportunities.

To address some of these inequities, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $325,000 in grants to three organizations to support the delivery of educational and career training services for youth and young people from 14-to-24 employed in agriculture.

Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, National Farmworker Jobs Program Youth Grants help grantees provide tutoring, mentoring, workplace skills and on-the job training for these vulnerable workers.

These funds will supplement existing National Farmworker Jobs Program grants the organizations previously received and enable them to expand their youth services. Projects funded may also support guidance and career counseling, financial literacy training and entrepreneurial skills.

Authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the program helps migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families obtain, retain and advance in agricultural jobs or start new careers.

National Farmworker Jobs Program Youth Grant recipients are as follows: