Farmworker Appreciation Day is annually observed on August 6. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about the significance of agricultural labour. The truth is that farmworkers labour under the scorching summer sun to harvest crops.
Every year, they are visible as you drive by the fields. Since the majority of their work occurs only during the summer, many of these individuals return to their native countries when the season ends. This day is set aside to recognise and express gratitude to farmworkers for all they have done.
The background of Farmworker Appreciation Day
The majority of colonial-era farmworkers were British indentured servants. Four to seven years of rigorous labour were exchanged for passage to the colonies by white men, women, and even children. Some of these employees were coerced into service and then sold as property with limited rights. They endured a life of servitude and mistreatment.
In the 1600s, there were not enough indentured servants, so plantation owners resorted to an even crueller method of workforce recruitment: the forced capturing and conversion of Africans into slaves. No fixed duration of enslavement was negotiated, so these slaves had little hope of eventual freedom. Over the next two centuries, African slaves were the primary source of farm labour in the colonies. By the conclusion of the American Revolution, twenty percent of the population in the thirteen colonies was of African descent, with the majority being slaves. In 1808, the United States Congress outlawed the international slave trade but not slavery itself.
After the American Civil War, California developed into a significant agricultural hub. The majority of agricultural labour in the aforementioned state was imported from Asia. In the 1930s, the immigrant labour force shifted to Mexico. Due to a labour shortage during World War II, the Bracero Programme was initiated. This programme permitted Mexicans to temporarily labour on American farms. Latin American legal and illegal immigrants continue to make up the overwhelming majority of the agricultural workforce in the United States.
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DAY OF APPRECIATION FOR FARMWORKERS ACTIVITIES
Visit agricultural employees
This day may provide a unique opportunity to learn about the duties of farmworkers. You can visit them to learn more about their work.
Thank agricultural employees
This day was established to express gratitude to farmworkers. Therefore, do not pass up the opportunity to express your gratitude for their hard work.
Increase exposure on social media
Create a social media post discussing the significance of farmworkers and publish it. Every year, farmworkers confront numerous challenges, and the public should be aware of their tribulations.
5 DUTIES OF FARMWORKERS
The first step of their duty is to plant seeds and occasionally transplant seedlings by hand.
This may be the second stage, as some plants require fertilisation in order to grow.
Additionally, they clear and maintain irrigation channels.
They harvest fruits and vegetables by hand the majority of the time.
They operate tractors, self-propelled plough equipment, and tractor-drawn equipment.
FARMWORKER APPRECIATION DAY DATES
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2023 | August 6 | Sunday |
2024 | August 6 | Tuesday |
2025 | August 6 | Wednesday |
2026 | August 6 | Thursday |
2027 | August 6 | Friday |