Immigration Reform and Agriculture Conference: Implications for Farmers, Farm Workers, and Communities University of California, D.C.

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1 Immigration Reform and Agriculture Conference: Implications for Farmers, Farm Workers, and Communities University of California, D.C. Campus 12 May 2011 Changing Characteristics of U.S. Farm Workers: 21 Years of Findings from the National Agricultural Workers Survey Daniel Carroll U.S. Department of Labor Annie Georges JBS International Russell Saltz Graduate Student London School of Economics * Disclaimer: Any views expressed or interpretations of the data made in this presentation are solely those of the authors

2 National Agricultural Worker Survey (NAWS) NAWS is a nationally representative random sample survey of hired crop farm workers; it is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and conducted by JBS International, Aguirre Division. NAWS collects demographic, employment, and health information directly from farm workers through face-toface interviews. Various Federal agencies use NAWS information for program purposes. The survey is in its 23 rd year. Since 1989, more than 54,000 workers have been interviewed. 2

3 Overview Demographic Characteristics Employment Characteristics Earnings, Income and Public Assistance Characteristics 3

4 Demographics Place of Birth Mexico Other Central America USA and Puerto Rico 4 33% 24% 17% 26% 25% 29% 2% 5% 1% 2% 4% 3% 3% 2% 1% 1% 2% 1% 3% 3% % 61% 7 79% 72% 71% 68% 4

5 Foreign Born: Years Since First Arrival Percent Foreign Born Foreign Born Farm Workers Years Since First Arrival % 12% 12% 14% 18% 24% 29% 32% 29% 26% 22% 24% 22% 16% 26% 18% 22% 16% 27% 19% 19% 29% 37% 43% 48% 42% 35% 26% 9 85% 8 75% 7 65% 6 55% 5 Percent of U.S. Farm Workers Foreign Born 5

6 Shifts in Mexico Sending Regions West Central Rest of Mexico Pacific South 55% 48% 45% 48% 47% 44% 44% 45% 39% 41% 41% 38% 35% 35% 21% 16% 15% 5% 7% 11% 6

7 Indigenous Mexicans and Central Americans 18% 16% 14% 12% 16% 15% 11% 8% 9% 6% 4% 2% 4% 3% 5% 7

8 Farm Worker Age years years years 25+ years Average Age 37 Percent in Each Age Group % 33 11% 17% % 62% 65% 69% 71% 76% % 12% 13% 12% 18% 19% 9% 18% 14% 16% 13% Average Age 4% 8% 8% 5% 5% 3% 3% 28 8

9 Farm Worker Education Percent in Average Highest Grade Completed by Grade Group No Primary Primary (1-6 years) Middle (7-9 years) High School (10-12 years) Post-Secondary (13-16 years) Average highest grade completed 6% 5% 5% 4% 6% 8% 9% 18% 22% 32% 29% 23% 23% 28% % 18% 19% 22% 22% 17% % 47% 52% 46% 42% 4 5% 5% 6% 4% 4% 4% 5% Average Highest Grade Completed 9

10 : English Speaking Ability All U.S. Farm Workers Not at all A little Somewhat Well U.S.-born (not P.R.) Foreign-born (including P.R.) 99% 3 35% 7 6 8% 27% % 37% 10 1% 11% 3% Not at all A little Somewhat Well

11 : Foreign Born English Speaking Ability 0-4 Years Since First Arrival to U.S Not at all A little Somewhat Well 4% 1% 5-9 Years Since First Arrival to U.S Not at all A little Somewhat Well 1% 22% 49% 39% 74% Years Since First Arrival to U.S Not at all A little Somewhat Well 20+ Years Since First Arrival to U.S Not at all A little Somewhat Well 5% 6% 14% 41% 17% % 11

12 Marital Status Marital Status Single Married/Living together Separated/Divorced/Widowed Parent 7% 5% 4% 6% 5% 5% 6% 58% 35% 52% 52% 52% 57% 57% 59% 43% 44% 41% 38% 38% 35% 54% 52% 5 48% 46% 44% 42% 4 Percent of Farm Workers who are Parents 38% 12

13 Migrant Type Migrant Worker Composition Domestic follow the crop Domestic shuttler Foreign Born Newcomer 21% 34% 41% 39% 42% 35% 4 17% 31% 16% 13% 28% 15% 8% 29% 11% 14% 6% 4% International follow the crop International shuttler Migrant 27% 25% 29% 15% 17% 3% 3% 21% 21% 15% 13% 15% 13% 16% Percent of U.S. Farm Workers who are Migrant Workers 13

14 Current Status 10 Unauthorized Work Authorized Green Card Citizen % 35% 26% 28% 27% 33% % 21% 24% 3% 25% 1% 21% 22% 1% 1% 18% 1% 4 7% 3 29% 37% 47% 54% % 14% 14

15 6 Special Agricultural Workers (SAW) and Unauthorized Farm Workers Immigration Reform and Control Act Inacted National Agriculture Workers Survey Begins SAW Unauthorized

16 Special Agricultural Workers (SAW) and Unauthorized Farm Workers Immigration Reform and Control Act Inacted National Agriculture Workers Survey Begins SAW (2 Year Moving Avg) Unauthorized (2 Year Moving Avg)

17 0.6 Special Agricultural Workers (SAW) and Unauthorized Farm Workers Immigration Reform and Control Act Inacted National Agriculture Workers Survey Begins SAW (3 Year Moving Avg) Unauthorized (3 Year Moving Avg)

18 Current Status of 1986 IRCA-Legalized Citizen Green Card Work Authorized 1% 1% 11% 32% % 87% 91% 93% 89% 83% 1% 3% 9% 6% 17% 18

19 Current Status of those Legalized through Family Programs 10 9 Green Card Citizen Work Authorized 5% 7% 7% 8% 8% 5% 8 8% 11% 11% 13% 7% 18% % 85% 82% 82% 8 83% 76% 3 19

20 Mixed Status Families as a Percentage of Families 3 25% 24% 21% 15% 15% 9% 5% 6%

21 Mixed Status Families as a Percentage of all FWs 14% 12% 12% 8% 6% 7% 4% 4% 2% 3% 3%

22 Demographics Summary The Mexico-born peaked at 79 percent in The average age of crop workers has increased more in recent periods; it is now 36. The share of unauthorized workers has remained roughly 50 percent since The share of farm workers who migrate has been decreasing. An increasing share of immigrant crop workers is naturalizing. The share of mixed-status families is increasing. 22

23 Employment Years of U.S. Farm Work Experience Percent in Each Years of Experience Group Avg. Number of Years US FW Exp % 11% 12% 12% 18% 21% 26% 24% 26% 23% 21% 23% 19% 18% 19% 21% 21% 24% 18% 36% 43% 49% 51% 42% 37% 32% Average Years of U.S. Farm Work Experience 23

24 Number of Farm Employers Per Year or more % 21% 21% 19% 16% 13% 6% 6% 18% 21% 21% 14% 13% % 6 63% 65% 72% 79% 81% 24

25 Average Number of FW Weeks 40 Farm Work Weeks

26 Employment Type Direct hire Labor contracted % 15% 23% 27% 21% 14% 12% % 85% 77% 73% 79% 86% 88% 26

27 Payment Method By the Hour By the Piece Combo Hourly and Piece Salary or Other 2% 2% 1% 2% 3% 2% 2% 2% 5% 4% 6% 2% 2% 11% 11% 16% 15% 22% 23% 24% % 73% 74% 79% 79% 83% 83% 27

28 Primary Crop at Time of Interview Field Crops Fruits and Nuts Horticulture Crop Vegetables Misc/Mult 4 35% 3 35% 28% 32% 31% 34% 29% 37% 32% 31% 27% 35% 25% 15% 5% 25% 25% 24% 23% 19% 18% 17% 17% 16% 16% 15% 12% 12% 9% 9% 6% 7% 6% 7% 4% 5%

29 Primary Task at Time of Interview Pre-Harvest Harvest Post-Harvest Technical Supervisor Other 7% 6% 5% 3% 1% 18% 27% 32% 18% 21% 25% 26% 13% 14% 12% 23% 15% 18% 16% 12% 12% 41% 42% 36% 27% 29% 29% 22% 17% 21% 17% 18% 27% 29

30 Employment Summary U.S. farm workers have an average of 13 years of U.S. farm work experience, which has been steadily increasing since the period. Crop workers are performing more weeks of farm employment per year. The vast majority of farm workers have one farm employer per year. 30

31 Income and Aid Nominal Avg. Wage (3Yr Moving Avg.) Minimum NAWS NASS Non Farm $18 $17 $16 $15 $14 $13 $12 $11 $10 $9 $8 $7 $6 $5 $4 $3 31

32 Real Average Wage (3 Year Rolling Avg.) $19 $18 $17 $16 $15 $14 $13 $12 $11 $10 $9 $8 $7 $6 $5 Minimum NAWS NASS Non Farm 32

33 Average Income by Income Type Personal income (farm only) Personal income (all sources) Family income (all sources) $17,500- $19,999 $7,500- $9,999 $5,000- $7,499 $7,500- $9,999 $5,000- $7,499 $2,500- $4,999 $7,500- $9,999 $5,000- $7,499 $2,500- $4,999 $10,000- $12,499 $7,500- $9,999 $5,000- $7,499 $12,500- $14,999 $10,000- $12,499 $15,000- $17,499 $12,500- $14,999 $15,000- $17,499 $12,500- $14,999 33

34 Total Family Income Below the Poverty Level % 4 42% 46% % 23%

35 Public Assistance: (respondent and/or family member use in the last two years) No public assistance Need-based Contribution-based Both need- and contribution-based 8% 9% 9% 8% 14% 12% 14% 15% 12% 13% 14% 14% 12% 16% 17% 23% % 63% 67% 65% 6 58% 57% 35

36 Type of Public Assistance Received: (respondent and/or family member use in the last two years) Need-based Contribution-based Type of Public Assistance Received Both need- and contribution-based % 24% 29% 25% 25% 23% 19% 41% 5 37% 33% 35% 4 42% 38% 31% 35% 35% 35% Share of FW who Received Public Assistance 43% 28% 3 38% 4 39% 4 42% 52% 5 45% 4 35% 3 25% 15% 5% Share of Farm Workers Receiving Public Assistance 36

37 Status of Needs Based Assistance Recipients (respondent and/or family member use in the last two years) Citizen Work Authorized Share of FW who Received Public Assistance Green Card Unauthorized Status of those Receiving Needs Based Public Assistance % 26% 22% 28% 37% 42% 47% 18% 7% 3% 2% 1% 28% 43% 45% 3 3% 1% 35% 24% 54% 39% 31% 25% 32% 21% 28% 35% 3 25% 15% 5% Share of Farm Workers Receiving Needs Based Public Assistance 37

38 Status of Public Assistance Recipients: Both Types (respondent and/or family member use in the last two years) 10 9 Citizen Green Card Work Authorized Unauthorized 8% 22% 17% 21% 25% 27% 35% % 21% 9% 32% 3% 49% 2% 51% 1% 38% 2% 1% 37% 27% % 37% 31% 27% 36% 33% 38%

39 Earnings, Income, and Public Assistance Summary Average hourly earning increased nominally and in real terms, but not as much as the earnings of non-farm workers. The share of workers with total family incomes below poverty decreased. The share of workers receiving public assistance increased by 30 percent between the periods and Use of needs-based public assistance increased between the periods and , while use of contribution-based assistance decreased. 39

40 For Additional Information Background information on the NAWS, including survey methodology and public access data, is available at: Information may also be obtained from: Daniel Carroll U.S. Department of Labor (202) Susan Gabbard JBS International, Inc., Aguirre Division (650)