Agribusiness
TOP TAKEAWAYS: Five things to know from our investigation into Illinois’ monitoring of human pesticide exposure
|
These are the most important things to know about our latest investigation.
Agribusiness
How Illinois’ ‘fragmented system’ of monitoring pesticide exposure ‘allows individuals to get poisoned over and over without any brakes’
|
A crew of farmworkers claimed they were sprayed with pesticides. What should have been a “rapid response” was a “big mess.”
Labor
“Keeping our drivers happy”: Trucker shortage leading to empty store shelves compels companies to increase wages
|
“We've had to go back to our customers and request additional compensation to be able to make sure our drivers were getting paid enough,” an owner of a trucking company said.
Climate Change
‘Temperatures continue to rise and farmworkers continue to be at risk’
|
At least 65 farmworkers have died from heat-related causes since 2002, according to an Investigate Midwest analysis of OSHA data. The Biden administration has promised to address the dangers of extreme heat in workplaces.
Labor
Human trafficking has long haunted agriculture. Experts fear it flourished during the pandemic.
|
At times, the H-2A visa program that brings non-citizen farmworkers to the U.S. has been used to facilitate human trafficking, experts and activisits said. But the number of people trafficked through the program appears to have increased.
Labor
As labor pool shrinks, Illinois farmers turn to foreign workers
|
Farms across the Midwest are struggling to hire domestic employees. In Illinois, the number of foreign agricultural workers has increased more than 250% in the past five years.
Coronavirus
DOL watchdog: OSHA’s virtual inspections during pandemic likely led to dangerous workplaces
|
While complaints increased, overall inspections dramatically decreased, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
Agribusiness
The CDC recommended states prioritize farmworkers for the COVID-19 vaccine. A few large agricultural states have not.
|
A few states with large agricultural populations have, so far, left farmworkers out of their COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Coronavirus
Without federal oversight, some states protect workers from COVID-19, others shield businesses from lawsuits
|
Advocates have said safety measures need to be enforceable in order to protect workers. Without the feds, some states have stepped in and done so.
Agribusiness
With no guaranteed protections from COVID-19, agricultural workers face tough decision: protect their lives or retain financial security
|
Some states have enforced rules to prevent COVID-19's spread among farmworkers, but the federal government hasn't done so, leaving many workers unprotected, advocates said.