The Michigan Farmworker Project
The Michigan Farmworker Project conducted by Michigan Public Health researchers found that farmworkers (migrant, seasonal, and H-2A)—considered "essential workers" - face challenging working and living conditions that are critical to address during the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to limit COVID-19 risks in this population require an evidence-based, multifactorial approach that involves workers, employees, and stake-holders. In a policy brief, the researchers recommend that enforcement actions be taken to ensure compliance with COVID-19 protection and mitigation guidelines instead of reliance on self-compliance.
Lead researchers
Peer Reviewed Publications
- APR 24 2024: “Precarious Work and Housing for Michigan Farmworkers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond” in the Journal of Agromedicine
- SEP 05 2023: “The Michigan Farmworker Project: A Community-Based Participatory Approach to Research on Precarious Employment and Labor Exploitation of Farmworkers” in Labor Studies Journal
- DEC 14 2022: “Climate Change, Heat, and Farmworker Health” in Workplace health & safety
- OCT 30 2022: “The Michigan Farmworker Project: Development and Implementation of a Collaborative Community-Based Research Project Assessing Precarious Employment and Labor Exploitation” in the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship
- NOV 12 2020: “‘Essential’ but Expendable: Farmworkers During the COVID-19 Pandemic-The Michigan Farmworker Project” in the American Journal of Public Health
Reports and Policy Briefs
- 2023: Acceso equitativo, asequibilidad y calidad de la vivienda para los trabajadores agrícolas de Míchigan durante la pandemia de COVID-19 y más allá (Investigación comisionada por el Departamento de Derechos Civiles de Michigan; PDF)
- 2023: Fair Housing Access, Affordability, and Quality for Michigan Farmworkers During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond (Commissioned by the Michgian Department of Civil Rights; PDF)
- 2020: The Michigan Farmworker Project Policy Brief (PDF)
- 2020: The Michigan Farmworker Project Policy Brief - Schematic Summary (PDF)
- 2020: Proyecto de Salud y Bienestar de Trabajadores Agrícolas en Michigan Policy Brief (PDF)
- 2020: Proyecto de Salud y Bienestar de Trabajadores Agrícolas en Michigan Policy Brief - Resumen Esquemático (PDF)
In the news
- 2023: “Michigan Farmworker Project featured on Michigan Public’s “Stateside” (AUDIO 🔊)
- 2023: “Farms need to recruit US residents before hiring foreign farmworkers. Some skip that step, lawsuits allege” in Investigate Midwest
- 2023: “Op-ed: Farmworkers’ vicious cycle of precarious employment, exploitation and climate change” in Environmental Health News
- 2022: “Michigan Farmworker Project seeks to improve social and environmental health for marginalized population” in SPH News
- 2020: “In one Michigan county, almost half the COVID-19 cases are tied to farm outbreaks” in the Detroit Free Press
- 2020: “Essential but Expendable? Protecting Farm Workers During COVID-19” in SPH News