Farm Workers
This section provides data for answering basic questions about the occupational health of hired agricultural workers. Data for the figures come from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS). This annual workplace-based survey of hired crop workers across the United States has included occupational farm injury and health questions since 1999 [DOL 2001]. During that year, 84% of farm workers were foreign born and 53% lacked legal documentation [DOL 2001]. These characteristics distinguished farm workers from other employed workers. One criterion for inclusion in the survey is employment in agriculture during the preceding 14 days. To capture seasonal and geographic variations in the volume of farm labor, NAWS bases its sampling of agricultural workplaces on three interviewing cycles that last 10 to 12 weeks each. Cycles begin in February, June, and October.
In 1999, 49% of farm workers were settled (residing within 75 miles of their farm work job) (Figure 3–33), and 36% had been employed in farm work for more than 10 years (Figure 3–34). Farm workers were predominately young (85% were under age 45), male (78%), and Hispanic (93%) (Figures 3–35 and 3–36). The highest number of nonfatal injuries occurred among farm workers aged 30–34 (Figure 3–37). Occupational injury rates in 1999 ranged from 1.5 per 100 workers under age 20 to 11.2 per 100 workers aged 45–54. (Figure 3–38). The percentage of farm workers reporting at least one health condition (respiratory, musculoskeletal, dermatologic, or gastrointestinal) during the preceding 12 months increased with years of U.S. farm work, and the highest percentage (34%) was reported for farm workers with more than 10 years of this work (Figure 3–39).
During 1999, the percentage of workers with musculoskeletal pain or discomfort ranged from 11% of those in their first year of farm work in the United States to 19% in workers having more than 10 years of this work (Figure 3–40). The percentage of farm workers with joint or muscle pain was highest in those reporting work in multiple crop categories (Figure 3–41). The percentage of workers reporting dermatitis was similar regardless of the number of years in U.S. farm work (Figure 3–42), ranging from 6.7% to 7.8% (Figure 3–42). Dermatitis was most common in farm workers reporting work in multiple crop categories (8.0%) and in fruits and nuts (7.9%) (Figure 3–43). The percentage of farm workers reporting wheezing increased steadily with years of U.S. farm work, from 1.5% for workers with less than 1 year to 4.7% for workers with more than 10 years of this work (Figure 3–44). Wheezing was most common in farm workers reporting work in multiple crop categories (4.8%) (Figure 3–45).
Migrant Status
What was the migrant status of farm workers in 1999?
 | Figure 3-33 Distribution of farm workers by migrant status, 1999. In 1999, 49% of farm workers were settled (residing within 75 miles of their farm work job). The rest were migrant workers to varying degrees: 22% were newcomers (entered the United States to work in farm work during the past year); 21% were shuttle migrants (have a residence in the United States but commute to farm work at a distance); and 8% were follow-the-crop migrants (perform farm work in more than one location and must move for employment). (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
Years in Farm Work
How were farm workers distributed by years in U.S. farm work in 1999?
 | Figure 3-34 Distribution of farm workers by years in U.S. farm work, 1999. In 1999, 36% percent of farm workers had been employed more than 10 years in farm work. (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
Age
How were farm workers distributed by age in 1999?
 | Figure 3-35 Distribution of farm workers by age, 1999. Farm workers were predominately young in 1999, with 85% under age 45. (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
Sex and Hispanic Ethnicity
How were farm workers distributed by sex and Hispanic ethnicity in 1999?
 | Figure 3-36 Distribution of farm workers by sex and Hispanic ethnicity, 1999. In 1999, farm workers were predominately male (78%) and Hispanic (93%). (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
Nonfatal Injuries
How did nonfatal occupational injuries differ by age among farm workers in 1999?
 | Figure 3-37 Nonfatal occupational injuries to farm workers by age, 1999. In 1999, the highest number of nonfatal occupational injuries (12,543) occurred among farm workers aged 30-34. However, workers aged 35-39 and 45-49 accounted for similar numbers of injuries (12,130 and 12,211). (Note: A dash in parentheses indicates that no injury data were reported or estimated from the survey for this age group.) (Sources: DOL [2001]; Myers [2001d].) |
How did nonfatal occupational injury rates among farm workers differ by age in 1999?
 | Figure 3-38 Occupational injury rates for farm workers by age, 1999. In 1999, nonfatal occupational injury rates for farm workers increased with age, peaking at 11.2 per 100 workers aged 45-54 and declining steeply for workers aged 55-64. (Note: A dash in parentheses indicates that no injury data were reported or estimated from the survey for this age group; thus no rate estimates were made.) (Sources: DOL [2001]; Myers [2001d].) |
Health Conditions or Symptoms
How did the percentage of farm workers reporting at least one health condition in 1999 differ by years in U.S. farm work?
 | Figure 3-39 Percentage of farm workers reporting at least one health condition during the preceding 12 months by years in U.S. farm work, 1999. In 1999, the percentage of farm workers reporting at least one health condition (respiratory, musculoskeletal, dermatologic, or gastrointestinal) during the preceding 12 months increased gradually with years of farm work. The lowest percentage (19%) was reported for farm workers with less than 1 year of work experience in U.S. farming. The highest percentage (34%) was reported for farm workers with more than 10 years of U.S. farm work. (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
Joint or Muscle Pain
How did the percentage of farm workers reporting joint or muscle pain differ by years of U.S. farm work in 1999?
 | Figure 3-40 Percentage of farm workers reporting joint or muscle pain in at least one body part during the preceding 12 months by years in U.S. farm work, 1999. In 1999, the percentage of workers reporting joint or muscle pain in the back, shoulder, elbow/arm, hand/wrist, or legs/feet ranged from 11% for those in their first year of U.S. farm work to 19% for workers with more than 10 years of this work. (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
How did the percentage of farm workers reporting joint or muscle pain differ by crop in 1999?
 | Figure 3-41 Percentage of farm workers reporting joint or muscle pain in at least one body part during the preceding 12 months by crop category last worked, 1999. The percentage of farm workers reporting joint or muscle pain in 1999 is highest (20%) among those working in multiple crop categories and lowest (11%) among horticulture workers. An average of 15% of workers in vegetables, fruits and nuts, and field crops reported joint or muscle pain. (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
Dermatitis
How did the percentage of farm workers reporting dermatitis differ by years of U.S. farm work in 1999?
 | Figure 3-42 Percentage of farm workers reporting dermatitis during the preceding 12 months by years in U.S. farm work, 1999. The percentage of farm workers reporting dermatitis on the hands, arms, face, torso, or legs in 1999 was similar regardless of the number of years in U.S. farm work. The percentage ranged from 6.7% in farm workers with less than 5 years of U.S. farm work to 7.8% in those with 5-10 years of this work. (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
How did the percentage of farm workers reporting dermatitis differ by crop in 1999?
 | Figure 3-43 Percentage of farm workers reporting dermatitis during the preceding 12 months by crop category last worked, 1999. In 1999, dermatitis was most common in farm workers reporting work in multiple crop categories (8.0%) and fruits and nuts (7.9%). The percentage of workers with dermatitis was lowest in vegetable workers (5.7%). (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
Wheezing
How did the percentage of farm workers reporting wheezing or whistling in the chest differ by years of U.S. farm work in 1999?
 | Figure 3-44 Percentage of farm workers reporting wheezing or whistling in the chest at any time during the preceding 12 months by years in U.S. farm work, 1999. The percentage of farm workers reporting wheezing or whistling in the chest increased with years of U.S. farm work, from 1.5% of farm workers with less than 1 year to 4.7% of those with more than 10 years of this work. (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
How did the percentage of farm workers reporting wheezing or whistling in the chest symptoms differ by crop in 1999?
 | Figure 3-45 Percentage of farm workers reporting wheezing or whistling in the chest at any time during the preceding 12 months by crop category last worked, 1999. Wheezing or whistling in the chest was most common in farm workers reporting work in multiple crop categories (4.8%) and less common in vegetable workers (2.6%) and workers in fruits and nuts (2.7%). (Sources: DOL [2001]; Steege and Baron [2002].) |
