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. 1. Assessment of Need. Provide 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.
Current Narrative:
NOTE: The contents of this section are based upon current practices and requirements found in 20 CFR 653.108 and 20 CFR 653.101 prior to issuance of the Wagner-Peyser Act Staffing Final Rule, which became effective January 23, 2024. DWD is currently evaluating the merit-staffing revisions for Employment Services staff and how it may impact Migrant and Season Farmworkers (MSFW) service delivery and will update this segment of the Plan as applicable.
The assessment of need is geared towards the farmworker activities that the DWD outreach staff, program staff, and Employer Services staff have observed through past outreach efforts. The current primary connection with the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and DWD is with respect to data. DWD staff utilize data provided by both the United Stated Department of Agriculture and ISDA to identify Indiana’s primary crops and data for both State national rankings.
Historically, this has been the sole connection, since the ISDA and DWD have different focuses. The DWD focuses on MSFWs with respect to their housing, working conditions, rights, and access to job opportunities and employment services. ISDA mainly focuses on economic development opportunities, public affairs, soil conservation, Future Farmers of America (FFA), and Indiana grain and buyer’s warehouse and licensing. DWD will begin exploring areas of overlap that can be leveraged for collaboration, such as outreach to farmers, corporations, and agriculture organization regarding both economic development opportunities for upskilling workers and ways to create awareness regarding MSFWs. ISDA’s relationships with employers could help get outreach staff to MSFWs with more efficiency and ease. Additional strategies in which both agencies can leverage the activities of the other to further their goals will be examined during 2024 and 2025. Implementation of these strategies will begin in 2025.
The needs of these farmworkers and farmworker families range from employment, housing, and education-related to non-agricultural job training and education.
Employment: During Indiana’s peak season months, MSFWs are mainly hired through farm labor contractors or crew leaders, who recruit workers for the Agricultural Employer. During this strategic planning phase, the contractor is seeking talent with previous experience in the farm work industry, and usually hires the same workers season after season. The most demanding farm jobs in Indiana are still hand labor-intensive jobs to plant, weed, detassel, harvest, and sort the following crops: corn, tomatoes, melons, pumpkins, and apples. These crops are also the top five labor intensive crops in Indiana for the current program year. March/April to mid-November is considered peak season for Indiana. The farm work season relies heavily on a few factors: climate (either rainy conditions or droughts delay prepping the fields and planting) and shortage of workers which both affect the season. Indiana has been experiencing fewer migrant workers, especially workers from Texas, migrating to Indiana. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that many older workers are retiring, the younger generations are seeking other employment opportunities.
Education: MSFWs have multiple barriers to employment that can hinder their chances of advancing their education. For the most part, migrant farm work is a family affair and a way of life. Due to various migration paths throughout the year, migrant workers often do not receive sufficient education necessary to advance in the labor market. Most migrant workers lack education, have a language barrier, and rarely want to relocate to Indiana to work or pursue other opportunities.
Housing: Many migrant workers depend on employer-provided housing, since they are unfamiliar with the area and need housing that is close in proximity to where the farm work is being performed. In Indiana, an ALC Permit is required if an agricultural employer is going to house 5 or more MSFWs in one location. Additional information and time are required to process and complete an Agricultural Labor Camp (ALC) Permit, which is done yearly. Pre-occupancy housing inspections are performed 45 days before the day of need or anticipated date of hire. The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) performs all pre-occupancy agricultural domestic housing inspections to include H-2A inspections as well. The ISDH also assists with initial permits or permit renewals. Housing for MSFWs is difficult to find for a short period of time. This leads to renting non-traditional housing such as apartments, motels, trailer parks, and other means of public accommodations.