Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Wagner-Peyser Program (Employment Services)
All Program-Specific Requirements provided for the WIOA core programs in this section must be addressed for either a Unified or Combined State Plan.
- e. Agricultural Outreach Plan (aop). Each State Agency Must Develop an Aop Every Four Years as Part of the Unified or Combined State Plan Required Under Sections 102 or 103 of WIOA. the Aop Must Include--
- 1. Assessment of NeedProvide an assessment of the unique needs of farmworkers in the area based on past and projected agricultural and farmworker activity in the State. Such needs may include but are not limited to: employment, training, and housing.
- 1. Assessment of Need
- e. Agricultural Outreach Plan (aop). Each State Agency Must Develop an Aop Every Four Years as Part of the Unified or Combined State Plan Required Under Sections 102 or 103 of WIOA. the Aop Must Include--
e. 1. B. An Assessment of the Unique Needs of Farmworkers Means Summarizing Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker (msfw) Characteristics (including if They Are Predominantly from Certain Countries, What Language(s) They Speak, the Approximate Number of Msfws in the State During Peak Season and During Low Season, and Whether They Tend to Be Migrant, Seasonal, or Year-round Farmworkers). This Information Must Take into Account Data Supplied by WIOA Section 167 National Farmworker Jobs Program (nfjp) Grantees, Other Msfw Organizations, Employer Organizations, and State And/or Federal Agency Data Sources Such as the U.s. Department of Agriculture and the U.s. Department of Labor (dol) Employment and Training Administration.
Current Narrative:
The transient nature of seasonal farmworkers makes it difficult to develop accurate and consistent estimates of Florida farmworker numbers and farmworker numbers in the state are largely dictated by the extent of agricultural activity in an area. The peak number of migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFWs) working in Florida during Program Year (PY) 2014 was estimated to be 130,353. During the low season, this number drops to less than 100,000. Migrant farmworkers make up about a quarter of the total MSFW population in the state. While there continues to be a large amount of migrant farmworkers, more are beginning to remain in the area year–round, especially those with families. Florida’s crop variety provides seasonal work during most parts of the year. Those who are eligible are able to supplement the low season with unemployment insurance.
The seasonal nature of agricultural work causes a constant need for employment among the farmworker population. Added to this is a need for training to empower the MSFWs and make them more employable and appealing to employers hiring for permanent, higher paying positions. Unfortunately, the majority of MSFWs do not qualify for training programs. In these instances, it is imperative that they be assisted with their immediate employment needs. Since the majority of farmworkers in the state are from Mexico and Central America, with a significant amount originating from Haiti as well, the languages spoken predominantly among farmworkers are Spanish and Haitian Creole. This leads to a need for accessible English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Farmworkers are not usually able to attend classes offered during the daytime and many times have transportation barriers; therefore, there is a need for more classes offered during the evening and/or weekend and for classes that are more conveniently located to the rural areas where farmworker housing is located.
Additionally, there is a need for more affordable farmworker housing that is not substandard, especially in the Belle Glade area. Most decent housing for farmworkers in the state is used by H–2A employers.