Blueberry Farmers & Their Workers

The Obama administration has now opened a campaign of enforcement against farmers. The farmers that are targeted are those who employ children, and under pay workers. This campaign consists of hiring hundreds of investigators and raising fines for labor and wage violators. Since the campaign cuts into what could be considered a tradition when it comes to children helping out relatives on the farm during the summer, Congress is still considering whether to rewrite the law that will allow 12 years olds to work on farms during the summer months. This would be with almost no limits or restrictions.

The main cause of concern is mainly the farmers who hire Hispanic immigrants and pay below minimum wage.

Blueberry crop has been drawing workers for decades. According to Miguel, a 12 year old child of a migrant, his four year old brother and him helped pick blueberries last year. However the four year old was unable to help much due to the mud. The farmers were fined and were informed that no kids are allowed to help.

The Child and rights advocates encourage the federal resolve, but are also skeptical to see how wide and lasting the changes will be. Across the country hundreds if not thousands of children under the age of 18 help harvest crops. The crops can vary from apples to onions.

During a unannounced visit, a reporter was shocked to not only see fields filled with children but vans full of migrant workers traveling from trailer camps to the farms. These workers explained that they would often times pick berries for ten or more hours a day.

The campaign is expected to have positive results where the migrant workers are given better housing, and a method in which the farmers can record how much was collected and by which worker.