By Wilkine Brutus, WLRN
“Advocates for migrant agricultural workers say workers in rural areas need access to better health care, expansion of COVID-19 test sites, and access to the COVID-19 vaccine — independent of a workers’ immigrant status. The center is requesting ‘that all incoming H-2A workers arrive vaccinated or are first on the list for vaccination.’
H-2A workers are temporary agricultural workers. The U.S program allows employers ‘who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs.’
Agriculture is Florida’s second largest industry behind tourism and Palm Beach County ranked first in the state for agricultural sales. In 2017, the state ranked third in the U.S for agricultural exports, totaling $4 billion.
Some of the organizations who’ve signed the letter include the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Florida Farmworker Association, WeCount, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and 15 other advocacy groups.”