Days of the Year: Farmworker Appreciation Day Thu Aug 6th, 2020
History of Farmworker Appreciation Day
Farmworker Appreciation Day was created to be a moment of action and appreciation for these workers and to raise awareness of the issues they face every year.
Farmworkers help keep the world fed and work what is considered to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the first world, and yet the often not protected by the same laws that protect other workers. This is due in part to their seasonal status and their tendency to be immigrant workers who return to their home country after the harvest is complete.
Some of the hazards they face in their line of work include exposure to pesticides and fertilizers that can be toxic and cause rashes or worse to those exposed to them and the perils of working under the punishing summer sun for hours on end without shade.
In the course of their jobs they apply pesticides, dig in fertilized soil, and harvest those same plants they previously doused with poison. In such perilous conditions, it’s not surprising that many die and fall sick each year from the hazards of their job.
