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Michigan recognizing migrant and seasonal farmworkers

The state of Michigan is honoring migrant and seasonal farmworkers during the month of July for their contributions to the economy.

Michigan Department of Agriculture director Gary McDowell tells Brownfield the state is a leading employer of migrant and seasonal labor which is necessary to produce more than 40 crops throughout West Michigan and beyond.

“The pandemic really, really highlighted how important these migrant and seasonal workers are to our ag community,” he says.

He says declaring an appreciation month in July was born out of the state’s newly developed Food and Agriculture Housing Taskforce especially as the pandemic demonstrated the importance of essential workers.

“We see them as friends, as people who keep our agricultural businesses viable, and they’re so important to our whole agricultural being in Michigan,” he says.  “It’s so important that these workers come here, and we treat them right and show them how much we appreciate them.”

The state also recently lifted its COVID-19 testing requirements for migrant and seasonal farm and food processing employees as vaccination rates increase and positive cases decline.