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3. 2005 National Extension Risk Management Education Conference

Human Risks Management for Employers of Latino Agricultural Workers

Jose Garcia

Summary

This presentation will give an overview of the work the Community Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture Program of the University of Missouri-Columbia is doing to inform and train farmers employing Latino agricultural workers on human risks management. Producers employing Latinos lack the tools and training to understand and address their worker’s human risks. This project, funded by the North Central Risk Management Education Center, has been training farmers in geographical areas with concentration of Latino agricultural workers. A workshop has been conducted and two more are ready to be implemented in February. An additional one is being planned for March/April. At our presentation, we will discuss the workshops that have taken place, the topics presented, and the issues and concerns raised by the participants. Workshop topics include understanding the Latino culture and the Latino work ethics, pesticide exposure, ergonomics, health related issues, worker wages and worker rights, tools to increase safety and reliability of the Latino workforce, and labor permits/visas. In addition, strategies to call the attention of employers (and potential employers) and attract them to the sessions will be shared with the audience. Our presentation audience will hear some unexpected, but welcomed, happenings, such as the participation of non-producers at the workshops (agency personnel, educational institutions, and NGOs) who provided a diversity of ideas and experiences to the discussions. Other actions, such as meetings between experienced large employers of Latino agricultural workers and smaller scale farm operations will be part of the presentation.

Details

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