Farmworker Awareness Week

Farmworker Awareness Week runs from March 24 – March 31 and it’s one of our favorite causes to recognize! During this week, students and community members alike focus on raising awareness about farmworker issues in their communities. Farmworkers feed the world, so it’s hugely important that their living and working conditions are safe and dignified.

How Do WE Recognize Farmworker Awareness Week?

The Immokalee region in Florida provides 95% of US-grown tomatoes eaten by Americans from October to June. This region is also one of the neediest when it comes to farmworker awareness.  Since 2009, we’ve partnered with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) to pay an additional 1.5 cents per pound for all of the tomatoes we purchase in Florida, with 1 cent per pound being passed from the supplier directly to the harvesters. This additional money represents as much as a 64% wage increase for harvesters who pick tomatoes for Compass Group!

How Can YOU Recognize Farmworker Awareness Week?

Try to think of ideas that will help you to raise the most awareness. Inviting farmworkers to your workplace for a presentation is a great start to teaching people about these issues.  Another option might be to download relevant factsheets and make them into table tents to place around your café. Typically this kind of information can have the greatest impact when placed in areas that are centered around food (café, breakrooms, etc.).

Let’s recognize farmworkers and their massive contribution to the food we eat every day. Without their efforts, we would not have access to our favorite foods and snacks.