Stronger Together US celebrates National Farmworkers Awareness Week (March 25-31, 2023) 

National Farmworkers Awareness Week (March 25 – 31, 2023) is dedicated to honoring farmworkers and their critical role in our society. Stronger Together US celebrates this week alongside our partners and joins the call for increased recognition of farmworkers’ contributions.   

Farmworkers are the backbone of our food system, and without them, we would not have access to the abundance of foods we enjoy – especially fresh fruits and vegetables. During National Farmworkers Awareness Week, we can all take steps to support farmworkers by promoting best practices in responsible recruitment.  

Responsible recruitment is one of the core pillars of Stronger Together’s work, and our US-based program has been working to embed these practices into agricultural supply chains in the US since 2019.  

Responsible recruitment means that employers and recruiters should follow fair labor practices and ensure that workers are informed of their rights and responsibilities before they leave their home. This includes providing workers with accurate information about the terms and conditions of employment, the location and nature of the work, and the compensation and benefits they will receive. Responsible recruitment also means ensuring that workers are not charged illegal recruitment fees, which can trap them in debt and exploitation.  

Ways Stronger Together US advances responsible recruitment for farmworkers employers in the U.S. and how YOU can get involved:  

1. Awareness raising

In February 2023, Stronger Together US released a new short film, Far From Home (Lejos de Casa), to raise awareness across the industry about the challenges faced by migrant agricultural workers and the importance of responsible recruitment practices. The 7-minute film will be used as a conversation tool in Stronger Together’s workshops and is available as a free resource for all organizations working in this space to use for training and awareness-raising purposes. Watch, like and share the film to increase consciousness of the importance of responsible recruitment in U.S. agriculture.

2. Capacity building – workshops & guidance     

Coming soon: New free online training courses and dates will be available on our website.   

Aligned to international best practice and specific to the US fresh produce sector, attendees receive guidance and materials to support the implementation of the best practice following the workshops.

‘Embedding Responsible Recruitment in your Operations’ for Farm Labor Contractors.

Offered both in-person and online, in English and Spanish – attendees will grow in their understanding of best practice associated with responsible recruitment in the US agriculture industry. Implementation and continuous improvement of responsible recruitment practices can be a competitive advantage and a differentiator for FLCs looking to gain new customers. The training is designed to be participatory, practical, focused on implementation. 

‘Introduction to Responsible Recruitment’ for growers, suppliers, and retailers.

Through this live, online training, attendees will come to understand the responsibilities and best practice associated with responsible recruitment due diligence in US fresh produce labor supply chains. Risk mitigation, and implementation and continuous improvement of responsible recruitment practices in labor supply chains not only ensures workers are safeguarded, but enhances the reputation of businesses, and ultimately protects the livelihood and sustainability of the US fresh produce sector.  

3. Recognition of best practice – Clearview US  

Independent certification for farm labor contractors through Clearview, our responsible recruitment certification program allows FLCs to demonstrate their ethical business practices and differentiate themselves in the market.   

In 2021, the first FLCs in the U.S. – AgriLabor and AgSocio – achieved Clearview certification for their responsible recruitment practices. Please reach out to us to find out more or register your interest in this opportunity.   

Responsible recruitment is a growing focus for buyers and retailers in US agricultural supply chains. Responsible recruitment is a guiding principle of the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices.

By supporting responsible recruitment practices, we can help ensure that farmworkers are treated with dignity and respect.   

For any queries or further information please contact: 

www.stronger2gether.org/us | usainfo@stronger2gether.org 

Tags: farmworkers, US; Clearview;, Responsible Recruitment, agriculture, FLC, Certification, raising awareness, US, migrant workers

Categorised in: United States, News, Online Training, Uncategorized, Forced Labour, responsible recruitment