Tag Archives: EPA

Protecting the Hard Working Hands

Farmworkers  are some of the most forgotten and unacknowledged workers in the United States. The general public has little knowledge of the many challenges agriculture workers face on a daily basis: extremely limited access to health care; poverty incomes; exposure … Continue reading

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Workers Memorial Week Reflection

“Every day in America, 13 people go to work and never come home. Every year in America, nearly 4 million people suffer a workplace injury from which some may never recover. These are preventable tragedies that disable our workers, devastate … Continue reading

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Migrant Students Make an Impact in the Community through Theater

By Noemi Ochoa, Children in the Fields Campaign Texas Regional Coordinator, AFOP South Texas is home to many of America’s migrant farmworkers. These workers travel up North to harvest the nation’s food in states like Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan, among … Continue reading

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Boy, Interrupted

Many people know that being exposed to pesticides can have a negative effect on their health and, this is especially true for expectant mothers. Doctors often warn pregnant women against using or being exposed to certain chemicals, but until now … Continue reading

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Farmworker Health on ICE

When it comes to protecting their health, farmworkers in the United States face formidable barriers. Poverty, rural isolation, and limited English proficiency make accessing health care services extremely difficult. Farmworkers are also afraid to speak up about dangerous conditions in … Continue reading

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This is Your Brain on Pesticides

Last year, several studies linked pesticide exposure in pregnant women to lower IQs in their children, which we wrote about in our blog post, “Farmworkers Suffer a Disproportionate Burden.” A new study published this May went a step further: researchers … Continue reading

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Language is Power

“Lang se pouvwa, lavi ak enstriman kilti , enstriman dominasyon ak liberasyon,” –Angela Carter “El lenguaje es poder, vida y el instrumento de la cultura; el instrumento del dominio y de la liberación,” –Angela Carter  “Language is power, life and … Continue reading

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Methyl Iodide on the Chopping Block?

While all pesticides are designed to harm living things, there are some that are considered more dangerous than others. One of those pesticides is the controversial chemical methyl iodide, which has been used in strawberry fields in California since 2010. Many environmental groups and health professionals warned state regulators about the dangers of methyl iodide before it was approved at the end of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s term; they were ignored. The state’s own scientific advisors, as well as an independent panel of scientists, warned that the chemical can cause cancer, among other dangerous health effects. Now these groups, and others such as EarthJustice, are asking Alameda County Superior Court to put an end to its use. Continue reading

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Remember Farmworkers When Considering Organic Versus Non-Organic

Co-Authored by Valentina Stackl, Health & Safety Program Associate, AFOP It is often forgotten that every piece of fruit and vegetable found at the supermarket was painstakingly picked by a man, woman, or child. Last week, these individuals – our … Continue reading

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Training in Action

Yesterday, AFOP’s Washington, D.C. staff had the opportunity to travel to Delaware’s Eastern Shore to see one of our SAFE AmeriCorps trainers in action. The farmworkers got really into it when Dina, our excellent SAFE AmeriCorps member, started enthusiastically handing … Continue reading

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