Florida Farmworkers hit hard by Hurricane Ian's impact

The Farmworker Association of Florida grieves with those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods due to Hurricane Ian. The storm devastated many communities, including some of our most vulnerable farmworker communities. As we are working hard to respond to the urgent and immediate needs of, and to help our farmworker families and communities recover, we extend condolences for the lives lost and our support to those most affected. We raise a call to action by the leaders of our state and country. 

Many farmworkers live in inadequate housing and/or mobile homes that are particularly vulnerable to hurricane damage. Many also live below the poverty line and paycheck to paycheck, so losing the food in the refrigerator after a power outage can be a major setback. In addition, as many farms, groves, orchards, and nurseries suffered damage, many farmworkers may be out of work for an indefinite period of time following the hurricane, making them and their families even more at risk for hunger, loss of housing, inability to pay for utilities and medical care, and other hardships. 

While FEMA relief exists for agricultural producers, there is no such targeted government relief for farmworkers, and FEMA does not offer long-term assistance to farmworkers who lack immigration status. Thus, these communities find themselves exceptionally vulnerable during these trying times. 

We call upon both our state and national elected officials to ensure that farmworkers – the essential workers who have helped make sure we had enough food to eat throughout the pandemic – are remembered, valued, and given the assistance they need and deserve, regardless of immigration status. 

In addition, we call on our elected officials to recognize that Hurricane Ian’s strength and devastation is a direct result of climate change. Florida has always experienced hurricanes, but Ian was one of the single most destructive storms to ever hit this state. And sadly , grievously, scientists predict more of the same weather events due to human-made causes of climate change as the oceans warm and create ideal conditions for ever stronger and more devastating storms. Additionally, it is often those who are least responsible for climate change, like farmworkers, who feel its impacts most acutely. We call on our leaders to take courageous steps to halt climate change by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, investing in transformative regenerative agriculture and agroecology principles, clean energy, and working towards a just transition that prioritizes marginalized communities. 

The Farmworker Association of Florida is working diligently to get disaster assistance to farmworkers across the state. We stand with farmworker communities and all communities affected by Hurricane Ian. 

For more information and/or to donate, please contact the FarmworkerAssociation of Florida at info@floridafarmworkers.org or at 407-886-5151.