Brandon Hooker, Philip Martin, and Andy Wong

from ARE Update Vol. 18, No. 6, Jul/Aug, 2015

View Article PDF: California Farm Labor: Jobs and Workers

Abstract

The combination of labor-intensive crops, tighter border controls, and new programs that may give some
unauthorized foreigners a temporary legal status has increased interest in the number of farm workers and their
stability. During the 1990s, there were an average three unique farm workers or Social Security Numbers reported
by California farm employers for each year-round equivalent farm job. Analysis of data for 2007 and 2012
find two workers per job, a significant increase in stability. The ratio of workers to jobs may fall further as
farmers mechanize, offer higher wages and benefits to retain current workers, or turn to guest workers.

Keywords

agricultural employment, farm workers

Citation

Brandon Hooker, Philip Martin, and Andy Wong. 2015. "California Farm Labor: Jobs and Workers." ARE Update 18(6): 5-8. University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics.
https://giannini.ucop.edu/filer/file/1453327773/16972/