Agricultural workers are a vital part of our economy. They work mostly on farms or ranches, but they also work in nurseries and slaughterhouses. Very few have college degrees because it is a low-skill job. The average hourly wage for all agricultural workers is about twelve dollars per hour, but that statistic can be misleading because most workers work for around ten dollars per hour, and this does not include the illegal immigrants who make up such a large percentage of this industry [1]. The National Agricultural Workers Survey was concerned mostly with the statistics involving percentages of agricultural workers, coming from other countries. Its statistics include percentages on illegal immigrants versus legal citizens within the agriculture industry, and also the age of most agricultural workers, and how the age of the workers affect their long-term well-being. Their data shows trends that are continuing in today’s agriculture industry, despite fierce opposition from certain political parties [7].
Vaughan and Dunton researched the safety and economic issues that come with being an agricultural worker. They came to find that they face extreme risks due to pesticide poisoning and other toxic chemicals, and because they are some of the most impoverished workers in the United States, they are least capable of overcoming these health risks [8]. Frisvold, Mines, and Perloff found that the environments in which these workers work and live are responsible for their increased levels of risk, which throws the risk to wage ratio way off [3]. Dunn concluded that farmers have no incentive to compensate these workers for their risk because demand for their jobs is so high. He also concludes that these low wages help make the agriculture industry profitable [2]. McNatt and Benassi discussed the role and the importance of illegal immigrants in the United States economy, specifically emphasizing their importance to the agricultural industry, by presenting data and insight that shows the consumer’s dependence on these workers, working for well below the legal minimum wage in order to be able to buy produce at an affordable price. They also outline how restricting the immigration policy could affect the United States’ economic well-being [5]. Lawton specifically addresses an example of immigration restriction and its affect on the agricultural industry. He uses interviews with individual farmers who have felt the effects of the new laws passed in Oklahoma.
In this paper, I will present evidence to show whether or not the “American Dream” is possible for the common immigrant agricultural worker. I will attempt to prove that the wage they receive is not enough to get the average person out of poverty, excluding any unusual circumstances. I will do this using the data in all five of the aforementioned sources. Also, I will conduct a survey, determining whether or not Santa Clara students would be willing to pay more for their produce in order to help agricultural workers receive fair wages and treatment.