Re: [migrant_health_news] Digest Number 300

March 30, 2004

y otros colegos:

I appreciate this exchange. , what you sent and your comments are very

interesting. It makes me wonder if we should be making it a " standing

agenda " item to hear a report on agricultural labor trends , with some

discussion of the implication for migrant health -- at each Stream Forum ,

at the Annual Farmworker Health meeting and the P & I, and at the meetings

of the NACHC FW Health Committee. What do others think? Is this something

that NACHC could provide?

Tina

tina.castanares@...

> Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 13:10:11 -0500

> From: " Ruiz " <jruiz@...>

> Subject: Farming mechanization trends and impact on farm labor force.

>

> Tina,

>

> Thank you for forwarding such an informative article on the impact of

mechanization on farmworker labor and the demand for the same in the U.S.

The article prompted me to think about how some of the trends mentioned may

impact on our very own migrant health program as well as future overall

federal farmworker policy in that they all are contingent on the size of the

farmworker labor force. It begs the question of what other trends are there

that we should be monitoring that may have an impact on that labor force and

as such our respective programs and policies. In short, if we are to answer

the question " who are tomorrow's farmworkers? " then we need to have a

better understanding of the U.S. farming industry itself including how it is

impacted by government policy, technological advancements, and globalization

trends. The bottom line for any migrant health center should be, how will

changes in any of these areas impact on the number of MSFWs served by my

center, what can!

> the trends tell me?

>

> Below is an excerpt and a link of a report on the decline of the number of

farms and land in farms in the U.S.

>

> What is the Number of Farms in the United States and How Much do they

receive in Sales Each Year? - On February 27, the USDA National Agricultural

Statistics Service Released a Report, titled " Farms and Land in Farms

Decline Slightly in 2003, " which states in part that " ... The number of

farms in the United States in 2003 is estimated at 2.13 million, 0.4 percent

fewer than in 2002. The decline in farms occurred in all sales categories

except the $250,000-$499,999 class which remained unchanged. Total land in

farms, at 938.8 million acres, decreased 1,550,000 acres from 2002. The

average size farm during 2003 was 441 acres, an increase of one acre from

the previous year. The decline in the number of farms and land in farms

continues to reflect consolidation in farming operations and competition for

agricultural land for other uses. The U.S. number of agricultural operations

in the economic sales class $1,000-$9,999 declined 0.2 percent to 1,199,270

in 2003. Farms with sales!

> of $10,000-$99,999 decreased 0.7% from 2002 to 600,530. The number of

farms with $100,000-$249,999 in sales was 167,230, a decline of 0.9 percent.

In the $250,000-$499,999 sales class, the number of farms was unchanged from

the previous year. The number of agricultural operations with $500,000 or

more of sales declined 0.4% from 2002. Generally favorable weather, stronger

commodity prices, higher value of commodities produced, farm consolidation,

and competition for other uses of farmland contributed to the shifting of

farms among the sales categories ... The number of farms in 2003 declined in

20 States, remained unchanged in 28 States, and increased in two States. The

largest decline in farms occurred in California which lost 1,200 places

followed by Missouri with 1,000. Other notable declines were: Minnesota and

Nebraska, 900; Indiana, 800; North Carolina, 700; Iowa, 600; and Tennessee,

Washington, and Wisconsin each losing 500 farms. For the two states with

increased f!

> arm numbers, Mississippi added 600 and Montana 100 places. Texas, with

> 130.5 million acres of farm and ranch land, leads the nation. The farm

and ranch acreage for Texas in 2003 was unchanged from 2002. States with the

largest decreases in land in farms were: California, down 500,000 acres;

Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico,

Tennessee, and Wisconsin each lost 100,000 acres. Other states showing

declines in agricultural acreage were: Virginia, 70,000 acres; Indiana and

Wyoming, 60,000 acres; Louisiana and Washington, 50,000 acres; land,

20,000 acres; and Delaware, New York, Ohio, and Vermont each with 10,000

fewer acres. After several years of drought conditions, renewed public

grazing allotments contributed to an increase of 300,000 acres in Montana's

ranch land ... " - The complete report is posted at

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/other/zfl-bb/fmno0204.txt>

>

> Ruiz

> Assistant Director Systems Development and Policy Administration

> Migrant Health Coordinator

> National Association of Community Health Centers, Inc.

> 7200 Wisconsin Avenue Suite 210

> Bethesda, MD 20814

> (301) 347-0442

> (301) 347-0459 FAX

> (202) 365-0154 Cell Phone

> jruiz@...

> www.nachc.com

>

March 30, 2004

I am very

much in favor of Tina’s suggestion to integrate agricultural labor trends as an

item for on-going discussion within the migrant health research group. It is

very consistent with the bio-psycho-socio-cultural dimensions of health and

wellness. I have incorporated one of the public health frameworks to bring into

focus the broad issues that impact or otherwise influence health and wellness. The

four elements in the rubric I adopted and adapted to my work include: heredity,

lifestyle, environment and health care systems. This helps me expand the discussions

on cross-cultural competencies and move beyond the stereotypical but all-too-common

diversity training programs out in the field.

Alfonso

Alfonso López-Vasquez, Director

Community Partnerships & Diversity

Assistant Professor

Pacific University

2043 College Way

Forest Grove, OR 97116

(503) 352-3104

(503) 352-2291 (fax)

-----Original Message-----

From: Tina Castañares

[mailto:tina.castanares@...]

Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 8:42

PM

To:

migrant_health_news ; Migrant Health Research egroup

Subject: [ ]

Re: [migrant_health_news] Digest Number 300

y otros

colegos:

I appreciate this exchange. , what you sent and your comments are

very

interesting. It makes me wonder if we should be making it a

" standing

agenda " item to hear a report on agricultural labor trends , with some

discussion of the implication for migrant health -- at each Stream Forum ,

at the Annual Farmworker Health meeting and the P & I, and at the

meetings

of the NACHC FW Health Committee. What do others think? Is this

something

that NACHC could provide?

Tina

tina.castanares@...

> Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 13:10:11 -0500

> From: " Ruiz " <jruiz@...>

> Subject: Farming mechanization trends and impact on farm labor force.

>

> Tina,

>

> Thank you for forwarding such an informative article on the impact of

mechanization on farmworker labor and the demand for the same in the U.S.

The article prompted me to think about how some of the trends mentioned may

impact on our very own migrant health program as well as future overall

federal farmworker policy in that they all are contingent on the size of

the

farmworker labor force. It begs the question of what other trends are

there

that we should be monitoring that may have an impact on that labor force

and

as such our respective programs and policies. In short, if we are to answer

the question " who are tomorrow's farmworkers? " then we need to

have a

better understanding of the U.S. farming industry itself including how it

is

impacted by government policy, technological advancements, and

globalization

trends. The bottom line for any migrant health center should be, how will

changes in any of these areas impact on the number of MSFWs served by my

center, what can!

> the trends tell me?

>

> Below is an excerpt and a link of a report on the decline of the

number of

farms and land in farms in the U.S.

>

> What is the Number of Farms in the United States and How Much do they

receive in Sales Each Year? - On February 27, the USDA National

Agricultural

Statistics Service Released a Report, titled " Farms and Land in Farms

Decline Slightly in 2003, " which states in part that " ... The

number of

farms in the United States in 2003 is estimated at 2.13 million, 0.4

percent

fewer than in 2002. The decline in farms occurred in all sales categories

except the $250,000-$499,999 class which remained unchanged. Total land in

farms, at 938.8 million acres, decreased 1,550,000 acres from 2002. The

average size farm during 2003 was 441 acres, an increase of one acre from

the previous year. The decline in the number of farms and land in farms

continues to reflect consolidation in farming operations and competition

for

agricultural land for other uses. The U.S. number of agricultural

operations

in the economic sales class $1,000-$9,999 declined 0.2 percent to 1,199,270

in 2003. Farms with sales!

> of $10,000-$99,999 decreased 0.7% from 2002 to 600,530.

The number of

farms with $100,000-$249,999 in sales was 167,230, a decline of 0.9

percent.

In the $250,000-$499,999 sales class, the number of farms was unchanged

from

the previous year. The number of agricultural operations with $500,000 or

more of sales declined 0.4% from 2002. Generally favorable weather, stronger

commodity prices, higher value of commodities produced, farm consolidation,

and competition for other uses of farmland contributed to the shifting of

farms among the sales categories ... The number of farms in 2003 declined

in

20 States, remained unchanged in 28 States, and increased in two States.

The

largest decline in farms occurred in California which lost 1,200 places

followed by Missouri with 1,000. Other notable declines were: Minnesota and

Nebraska, 900; Indiana, 800; North Carolina, 700; Iowa, 600; and Tennessee,

Washington, and Wisconsin each losing 500 farms. For the two states with

increased f!

> arm numbers, Mississippi added 600 and Montana 100 places.

Texas, with

> 130.5 million acres of farm and ranch land, leads the nation.

The farm

and ranch acreage for Texas in 2003 was unchanged from 2002. States with