Hidden Costs: Farm Workers Sacrifice their Health to Put Food on Our Tables
Author: Jackson, Kimi Esq.
Date Published: 2002
Colorado Legal Services' Casillas Pesticide Action Project (CPAP) conducted an extensive survey of migrant farm workers in Colorado during the 2001 growing season. Office volunteers and staff traveled to farm labor camps and other locations throughout Colorado's agricultural regions and asked farm workers to answer a detailed questionnaire. The questionnaire asked for information about the farm workers' experience with pesticides, training and medical conditions. The survey shows that Colorado farm workers frequently experience pesticide poisoning, and that many employers illegally place their workers' health and lives in danger. A few significant reported findings include: 59% of the surveyed farm workers reported that they had never received training pesticide safety, as required under U.S. law; After working in the fields, 49% of the farm workers reported experiencing skin irritation, headaches, or inflamed eyes; 47% reported irritation of the nose and throat; 26% had experienced dizziness or weakness, while 22% reported difficulty breathing. These figures would improve if employers complied with federal laws designed t protect farm workers from toxic pesticide exposure. Current compliance levels appear to be very low.
Date Published: 2002
Colorado Legal Services' Casillas Pesticide Action Project (CPAP) conducted an extensive survey of migrant farm workers in Colorado during the 2001 growing season. Office volunteers and staff traveled to farm labor camps and other locations throughout Colorado's agricultural regions and asked farm workers to answer a detailed questionnaire. The questionnaire asked for information about the farm workers' experience with pesticides, training and medical conditions. The survey shows that Colorado farm workers frequently experience pesticide poisoning, and that many employers illegally place their workers' health and lives in danger. A few significant reported findings include: 59% of the surveyed farm workers reported that they had never received training pesticide safety, as required under U.S. law; After working in the fields, 49% of the farm workers reported experiencing skin irritation, headaches, or inflamed eyes; 47% reported irritation of the nose and throat; 26% had experienced dizziness or weakness, while 22% reported difficulty breathing. These figures would improve if employers complied with federal laws designed t protect farm workers from toxic pesticide exposure. Current compliance levels appear to be very low.
