The past Wednesday, I attended the Becker-Rose Cafe Series  with Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley.  Although both speakers talked about different topics, both touched a bit about a few things required for farms. Heuvel spoke about farming grapes and how she helps farms in the fingerlakes make good business decisions. I thought the series was well suited to go with the theme of farm fresh foods at the dining hall.

At first, Mary Jo Dudley spoke about her work with helping farm workers. Although I did not grow up near farms, I knew some of the issues that farm workers would face. Farm workers have to work long hours, out in the sun. Dudley spoke about more problems than just job problems. She spoke specifically about the problems that farm workers face outside of work. An important topic to note is that there is a large labor shortage for farm workers. Because of this most of the farm workers are immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala. Before the year 2000, most of the farm workers in NY were migrant farm workers who would move place to place depending on the season. However, now two-thirds of the farm workers live in New York. Although most of the farm workers live in one place now, all year round, they still do not get to engage with the local community. They are socially isolated from the community. It is rather depressing that we do not engage much or even know much about the people who make grow our food.

Wednesday was the Farm to Fork House Dinner. Following the Dinner, I attended the Becker-Rose Cafe Series talk given by Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley. Justine is a professor here at Cornell who focuses on the science of wine grape production. Mary Jo is the director of the Cornell Farmworker Program, which combines research, education, and outreach to better the lives of farm workers and their families.

Mary Jo began by giving some statistics and background on the farmworkers’ lives and working conditions. Many are undocumented workers who live in fear of being deported. They rely on seasonal work to maintain their livelihood. Because of this, their work is not guaranteed or secure. Often their children have to attend multiple schools within a given year because they have to travel from one worksite to another. Justine followed by explaining some of the work and research that she does to optimize wine grape production and improve the flavor and aroma of the grapes. The common thread between Mary Jo and Justine’s work is that there are disparities within agricultural work and that as consumers, we often take for granted the work and efforts that go into bringing the food we eat literally from farm to fork.

This conversation stimulated my thoughts on connections between the field of agriculture and a topic from my Education class on the distinction between “brain work” and “hand work” that is being made in our workforce and in schools. As we move more and more towards a technology-based society and economy, we are placing emphasis on mechanization and forgetting how much we rely on people who work towards the production of basic needs, such as food. This translates into a stronger appreciation for seemingly academically rigorous fields of study and work when emphasis should also be placed on the intellect and physical risks involved in the agricultural realm and similar fields.

Overall, I think that we need to have more conversations on the topics of farm workers and food production. As our economy and country’s population continues to change, grow, and evolve, we have to seriously consider what the situation is going to look like in the future. With the multiple factors of politics, livelihoods, and lives involved, these are certainly complex issues with a lot at stake. Moreover, they are  not issues that only impact the lives of specific groups of people. Everyone is impacted and numerous generations are affected. Therefore, they are issues that everyone should be informed about. I am definitely open to learning more.

Last week, I attended the Becker Rose Café Series featuring Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley and their discussion on the state of New York state agriculture.  I didn’t realize that 25% land in New York is farm land and the state is known for growing apples and grapes.  Another cool fact about NY agriculture is that Walmart is the biggest New York apple buyer!

But the most interesting topic in last week’s discussion was the workforce behind New York’s agriculture.  Majority of New York farm workers are from Mexico and Guatemala, most of which are improperly documented.  It is surprising hear stories about how these people raise their families having an average literary of 6^th grade.  Farm workers have a lack of opportunities to interact with the community, and learn more about safety procedures on the farm, English, and even finding out more information about immigration policies.   As I started to realize how little I knew about the workforce behind the state’s agriculture system, I soon learned that there are a lot of people like me.  Research shows that U.S. citizens are unsure of what to do with immigrant farm workers.  Maybe the reason why a lot of people don’t know about this topic is because of the lack of knowledge and experience interacting with farm workers.  Farm work typically has a negative stigma due to the work being physically exhausting and dangerous with low pay.  But people should be encouraged to pursue opportunities in farming because it is more than just physically demanding tasks.

I grew up on a relatively small ranch in Central Texas. It was mostly a family affair, and we would call on family friends or nearby ranchers when additional help was needed. We never found ourselfs in the position of hiring undocumented workers, but it was not uncommon for us to work alongside a few while helping nearby ranchers and family friends. The general tone was that it was a little risky hiring them, but we were in a location where Border Patrol rarely trotted through (I have still yet to see seen a single CBP vehicle in town), that they are hard workers, truth worthy, and in need of work.

For the September 30th Café, Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley gave a talk that focused on migrant workers. Heuvel spoke a bit on the viticulture of the region, but the conversation quickly focused on Heuvel’s area of expertise, undocumented farm workers. Unfortunately much of the talk and discussion involved topics I was well versed in. What I did find surprising however, and what made the experience an overall positive one for me, was the reactions of other students, figuring out what they didn’t know, what they found surprising. Much of the time the speaker would say something and I would just be sitting there thinking (pardon my language) “Yeah…no s*%t!” but I soon realized that my friend, and others around us, were taken aback, and that’s when it really hit me that most everyone in the room had never experienced working on a farm, or with undocumented workers, or for that matter had not previously read of the issue.

The talk was eye opening in the way that it made me realize that, though I recognize everyone in attendance came from diverse backgrounds, how little they knew of their food supply. I was also greatly interested in the outreach programs Ms. Dudley mentioned, and am very interested in getting involved if and when time allows.

During this lecture, I learned several things about the current farmland initiatives that are taking place nationwide. Interestingly, the majority of farm laborers are undocumented. Prior to attending this lecture, I knew only a little bit about the difficulties immigrant laborers face in their daily lives here in upstate New York. While I am aware of the proximity to Canada’s border, I did not think that the U.S. Border patrol sought after hardworking immigrants on private farms.

I learned this past week that the average literacy rate of many of these laborers is at or below a 6^th grade level. I am in support of many initiatives that aim to educate American laborers. I was glad to hear that Cornell has its own program that strives to teach farmers English. As a transfer student, I am trying to get involved with the community both inside and outside the Cornell community. With over 25% of the nation’s farmland being suitable for farming, I believe it is imperative that more local and federal government recognition is given to these immigrant laborers. While society has a shifted toward a growing movement of locally harvested farm goods and products, this effort has come from an environmental and sustainability standpoint and has not addressed the mass production of our food and the associated labor.

Overall, this lecture reminded me of a discussion that I attended after reading, The Good Food Revolution, when the author, Will Allen, spoke to the effects of labor work and sustainability. Over the years, Allen’s vision stressed the importance of developing more sustainable farming projects across the country. While he started the project to bring quality food to those living near unsustainable harvesting land or food deserts, in the process Allen tackled some issues revolving around labor. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if the farm labor movement will start to get more attention by the government. I enjoyed this lecture and look forward to this Wednesday’s lecture!

I often take for granted life’s simplest things. Growing up in such a suburban culture, I always got glimpses of farms, but I never truly understood or appreciated where the food I constantly shopped for in grocery stores originated from. Coming to Cornell was an eye-opening experience. Being surrounded by endless amounts of farmland and living in a community so focused on agriculture and environmental sustenance had enhanced my appreciation for it. Getting to hear from first hand from Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley of how the business is operated, in addition to the issues related to it really shed some light on my perspective of it all.

Over the course of the cafe, as Heuvel and Dudley alternated in explaining the industry, I soon came to realize how large it extended. The fact that it is currently a $5.7 billion industry and that 25% of New York State land alone is dedicated to agriculture is unbelievable. But then again, as they later explained, it’s bittersweet to think that it is also a depreciating industry. Something that everybody so heavily relies on (for it’s literally the source of our sustenance) is under appreciated and neglected. In a society so bent on moving upwards in the class system, many individuals stray away from the stigma that comes with working on a farm; the physical labor, low pay, lack of economic advancement (dead end job) and its association with individuals who are are uneducated all contribute to the adversity individuals feel towards the agricultural industry. Still, even those who do understand and appreciate the value of food production in our society don’t associate the struggles and difficulty of doing so on a more specific scale.

Sure, by visiting a farm, you get to understand the hardships one must endure to even produce the minimum amount of food necessary, but what’s often overlooked is the more interpersonal aspect of difficulty in the lives of the workers themselves. Huevel, who interviewed many of these migrant farm workers, spoke about the journey to find work, the dangers of being an undocumented individual, the risks of deportation for the family as a whole, etc. She sheds light on the more pressing matter of the well-being of the people responsible for the products that we constantly overlook in grocery stores. These individuals work just as hard to stay in this country, and their children, burdened with having to balance both education and work (alongside their parents), are are suffering exponentially worse than an already established American citizen (even if they themselves are citizens too). I believe, in accordance to what Huevel and Dudley believe, that programs should be created to provide support for these individuals, and programs, such as the Cornell farm worker programs could really provide insight for students to the industry and spark inspiration to support the cause.

Last week at the Becker-Rose Café, Justine Vanden Heuvel stressed the disconnect between the average American and his food. Since the talk, I have come across the interesting case of Wickard v. Filburn, which, in my opinion, represents a symbolic, if not actual, turning point in the story of how Americans are connected with their food.

In Wickard v. Filburn, the Supreme Court ruled that under the Commerce Clause, the Department of Agriculture had the power to create quotas for wheat growth and subsequently fine farmers who produced more then this quota. In 1941, an Ohio farmer, Roscoe Filburn, produced nearly twice the amount of wheat he was permitted to grow under new Federal law. However, Filburn did not produce this excess wheat so that he could sell it, but rather so he could consume it himself. Despite this discrepancy, Filburn was fined; eventually the case made its way to the Supreme Court. In 1942, SCOTUS ruled that the price control instituted by the Department of Agriculture was constitutional under the Commerce Clause. SCOTUS reason that although Filburn was not selling the excess wheat, the production of the wheat affected the market price of wheat because Filburn no longer needed to purchase grain. This decision effectively rendered all farming under the control of the Federal Government. If the Federal Government can regulate wheat prices down to a single Ohio farmer’s activity, where is the line drawn? In some sense, this case contributed to the demise of sustainable farming and small family farms. As Jim Chen notes in The Story of Wickard v. Filburn: Agriculture, Aggregation, and Commerce, there now exists “but a vowel’s difference between the firm and the farm…”

What many of us think when we eat our food is about the grocery store where we bought it or the way in which it was prepared, but we rarely think about all of the work that went into growing the food, or the people who spent time laboring in the fields to pick or cultivate it. This is what professors Vanden Heuval and Dudley explained to us. We often times forget the most important aspect of bringing a meal to the table is the farm work that went into creating it. Much of this work is done by migrant farm workers, many who are here illegally and are undocumented. The biggest eye opener for me with this talk was that these migrant families live in fear of being deported or being caught, companies who employ them keep them from working near the road during certain hours, just so that they stay out of sight. I never really understood the process or the type of work that went into cultivating various fruits and vegetables and I never really knew how dependent we were on people that we rarely think twice about. This talk really helped me to realize ways in which I can help these farm families, a little can go a long way.

This talk also dealt with grapes and how they are made into wine. I found it interesting to hear how different grapes grow better in different climates. It was also interesting to hear about how the different types of grapes were brought to the United States. Overall, I do not think I would find an entire class on this subject matter to be super interesting, I think it was very interesting to hear some background on the farming industry.

We were so lucky to have Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley come in to talk about the culture of agriculture as well as the disconnect between farm workers and urban folks. I had arrived late into the conversation (about halfway in) and the conversation was focused somewhat on the disconnection. “Part of what workers do is try not to be in the picture,” and because of this, kids don’t know what farm workers do or what’s involved in agriculture. I think it’s a very serious issue, because not only does this cause for a lack of cultural understanding of farm working, but also because farm workers get paid extremely little for the amount of work that they put into their crops or products. They try not to be in the picture because they don’t want to be known by the general public, but because of this, it’s much easier for wholesalers and distributors to make 200% markup on all the products that farm workers sell. Because there’s such a tendency towards being in the “unknown,” it’s almost like the farm workers are being bullied and can’t get their fair share’s worth.

I was also really emotionally stimulated during the talk about migrant workers. Ms. Dudley talked about her research with migrant workers and that one woman had said that she wants her son to grow up to become anything other than a farm worker. It seems really sad because on one hand, we need all these farm workers in order to keep producing our crops and farm products, but on the other hand, the people who are doing it also don’t always want to be doing it. In addition to that, we started talking about the Mexican workers’ impact on agriculture. Roughly about 50-75% of our agriculture labor force is comprised of illegal Mexican workers, and that number scares me because I never really realized how heavily reliant we are on the work that illegal immigrants do for us. We also briefly talked about Donald Trump’s proposed plan of building a wall and sending back all the Mexicans. It would be a huge economic issue because we would be losing all of our input and prices will have to start raising, and it would be especially messy with the price floors of some crops or products. I didn’t really pay attention to the Mexican workers but now I realize that they’re such hard workers and they take the jobs that no other Americans would want so they could provide for their families. This conversation really sparked me to become more considerate and understanding of their situation

Industrial agriculture has permanently altered the face of food for Americans. The vast majority of people in America really have no idea where their food comes from. Sure, adults know that their food is grown on farms, but they don’t actually have any idea of what all goes into the production of their food. As for children…many from urban areas simply believe that their food comes from the supermarket; they have no knowledge of the farms that actually produce the food. I wonder if these children know the old nursery rhyme about Old McDonald.

We all have an extremely intimate relationship with food. After all, we put it directly into our bodies and it provides us with energy. Being that the relationship is so intimate, one would think that we would also have an intimate relationship (or at least knowledge of) how that food is being produced, but that’s not the case in America. This lack of knowledge translates directly into social consequences. For example, people will lobby against various farming practices such as chemical fertilizers and genetically modified organisms without even beginning to comprehend how such technologies are actually being utilized to produce their food.

Additionally, the average American doesn’t know about the people who are producing their food. Across the country, the vast majority of farm workers are immigrants, many of whom are undocumented. Estimates for New York State places 75-90% of immigrant farm workers as undocumented. Considering that these immigrants are the power behind the American agricultural industry, you would think that more people would want to know about their needs and wants. Alas, because of America’s indifference toward farming, there also is a general indifference about the well-being of the farm workers.

Is this disconnect between the average person and the food that they consume truly the price that must be paid for industrialization? I personally don’t believe so, and I think it even has a relatively simple remedy. If we can encourage the development of small-scale, local farms, it is likely that more people would have at least a general knowledge about food production. People are more likely to identify with things if they are in their communities which is why I think the creation of small-scale local farms could help to mend the current disconnect.

When it comes to food, research has shown that inhabitants of rural areas will give different responses when asked where their food comes from. Most children living in urban areas believe that their food comes from stores and super markets, where children who grow up in rural zones would respond that food comes from farms or crops instead. Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley were kind enough to educate the Rose Scholars on what an integral part agriculture plays in the state of New York. I never knew that around three quarters of all of New York’s land is cultivated, nor that most of the workers are immigrants. On another note, it so happens that fewer and fewer families are continuing to grow crops and cultivate land because they want their children to go to college and work in different sectors of society.

Especially during this time, the issues of immigration are becoming more and more critical. It so happens that sending all illegal immigrants home would consist of around seventy percent of all farm workers in New York state alone, which makes sense if the farmers children are not the one’s working the land. Immigrant workers arrive to the United States in search of any job opportunity that they can find if it means being able to support their families and loved ones from their home country. It makes no sense to send these hard working individuals in our society back to where they originated from when they are only contributing to the manual labor that most citizens do not wish to take part in for the country.

Personally, I have never worked on a farm; the closest I have been to cultivating land was planting flowers with my mom in our garden when I was fourteen. My grandmother who lives in Peru works and owns various vegetable crops in Coyo, a small pueblo in the mountainous region of the country. She always teaches me about how she grows the fruits of the earth and reminds me that it is important to care for the land and know how to grow one’s own food even if it is difficult at times. Because most of my family has grown their own crops, I have seen first hand the strenuous effort that comes with working in agriculture. Yet, there is no doubt that food production is a necessity, and with that comes educating the public about its importance as well as supporting those that work in the industry.

The Cafe series on agriculture and enology was a very interesting one. Although I am in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, as an Animal Science major, I rarely learn about the human aspect of agriculture. I found the migrant worker patterns to be one of the most interesting aspects of the conversation. I feel as though my question–why migrant workers do not tend to localize in regions lacking in border patrol agents–went unanswered. There was a migration line along the Mississippi River to the Midwest, and this made me wonder why this is not the most frequented path, as there are not many border patrol agents lurking around farms in central Nebraska. Another Rose Scholar mentioned that it would be too difficult to manage traversing across state lines to reach the Midwest; however, this migration pattern exists and is used (along with the path across the entire east coast to New York). It could be that the Midwest, as the corn hub of the country, has different labor needs than other regions. As mentioned, New York is a big producer of fruits and other crops that are human-labor intensive. Conversely, the corn industry may be better suited for the replacement of human labor with machinery. Another explanation is that there is a large population of migrant workers in the Midwest, and I am just unaware of it.

I also found the dialogue on the stigma against farm work intriguing. It was interesting to note the underlying verbal battle between the two guests. One speaker was insisting that these farm workers struggle with difficult work and hope that their children do not have to suffer through the same labor. The other speaker was insisting that farm work is fun, so we should all try it. I guess one’s opinion on farming depends on the type of farming they spend their time studying; if one were to study the lives of struggling migrant workers, understandably they would not believe that the word “fun” is an adequate descriptor of farm work.

Last week I enjoyed a fantastic house dinner, made with locally grown  ingredients, and then attended the Becker/Rose cafe series, where I learned about the people who produce that very food! I had the opportunity to hear Mary Jo Dudley, who has worked to improve the lives of migrant farm workers and their families, speak about their situation.

At first I was surprised when Mary Jo shared that 95% of farmworkers in New York state were from ethnic minorities, most of which who are undocumented. Many of them are migrants as well, who travel in great droves across the US looking for seasonal farm work. The pay is poor,  as are the conditions. Also, children of this social strata struggle to get out of it, as they are constantly uprooted from school, so end up with low quality education. Why is it that farmwork is relegated to people whose illegal residency keeps them from doing anything else?

Clearly, there is a cultural stigma against farm work, which Mary Jo helped us explore. People don’t like the work because it is dirty, dangerous, low paying, hard physically, and lacking in advancement opportunities. And as it is mostly under the table, wages are typically well below the state minimum. Also, it seems to me that our society has engendered in us the idea that manual work is fundamentally “below” intellectual work. Through grade school and college I get the message that the “successful” tier of society has to go to do well in school, go to college (and preferably grad, med, or law school), and get stable, high paying, intellectually or socially-focused jobs.

My question is: why do we define success this way, so based on financial gain and security? I understand that people need a certain level of income to live comfortably and have adequate access to education, healthcare, and other necessities, but beyond that: is more cash always better? To me, success is rooted in something deeper than monetary gain or the physical comforts of luxury. Personally, i have found that success is rooted in relationships. Primarily, my relationship with God, which flows into my relationship with others, and fills them with love and sincerity. I wouldn’t trade all the riches in the world for the joy of being loved by God and sharing His love with others. No matter how I’m feeling on any given day, no matter my current circumstances, it satisfies. I think everyone would do well to really examine what they consider success to be, and why. Don’t just believe what society has drilled into you, find out for yourself.

Wednesday after the farm to fork house dinner, (which I must say was delicious!!) I had the opportunity to attend the Becker/Rose cafe which was themed around who’s growing our food. As a plant science major, most things about plants intrigue me, and so I simply had to attend this event. The first speaker, Mary Jo Dudley, introduced a program she helps run at Cornell to help farmworkers across America. I was unaware this program existed but I think they have a great cause. Many farmworkers around the United States are undocumented and live a life of migration. Their kids go from one school to another and often end up behind in their education. These people live under the radar from fears deportation. The other speaker was Justine Vanden Heuvel who works in the field of the science of grape growing. She talked about how even locally, there are a lot of migrant workers in the vineyards. She also mentioned how many employers keep them away from the roads during busy periods.

Hearing about the way these people live their lives was very saddening. I cannot imagine going through life in constant fear of being deported back to a country I fled from. No one should have to live their lives that way and it is cruel to force these people into lives of fear. We should do more for these workers who take the hard labor intensive jobs we don’t want. They are an essential part of our economy and without them there would be a huge demand for farm work, and few people willing to put in labor. Regardless, living your life in fear, is no way to live.

So what can we do to help?

We can help them learn English as our speaker mentioned, or perhaps we could provide other goods or services they need. I hope that each one of us can find some way to help those in need across our country. Even the smallest gesture would mean so much to these people.

I went to my first Rose Becker Café of this semester because I wanted to learn more about the local foods that were present at the Rose House’s Farm to Fork dinner. Justine Vanden Heuvel, a professor at Cornell in the science of wine grape production and Mary Jo Dudley, a pioneer in improving farm work conditions, joined us in an interesting discussion that covered various topics which not many people were aware of. For example, although almost everyone eats farm produced foods such as apples, corn, grapes, and dairy products, not many Americans are involved in farm works. When the audience of about 50 students was asked to raise their hands if they have worked or volunteered in a farm, only a couple of students said that they had. This was surprising given that there are many farms in New York State. We listed the possible reasons as a group: a stigma in farm work, low income on average, and physically demanding work. Because of a combination of these reasons, people tend to stay away from farm work. And since there is a labor shortage, international workers from countries like Mexico or Guatemala have the opportunity to work in America.

It was interesting to hear Ms. Dudley speaking about her project to improve farm workers’ living conditions and many new facts that I was previously unaware of. Firstly, more than 50% of the farm work force consists of undocumented international workers. Being undocumented means they can get deported at any time. The family lives in fear of buying milk because the cashier can ask for their documents and that will lead to deportation. If the recent move to deport undocumented immigrants is followed through, New York State’s agricultural organizations will be in trouble because there will be no one to milk the cows or pick the apples. After hearing these unfortunate facts and stories, I learned the harsh living conditions of an undocumented farm worker. The majority of New York States is farm land and we need to support programs to protect and improve the living conditions of the farm workers. This café was an eye opening discussion and I will be returning to the café series often this year.

Last Wednesday, I heard Mary Jo Dudely, Senior Extension Associate Director of the Cornell Farmworkers Program, and Justine Vanden Heuvel, Associate Professor in Plant Sciences, discuss farming/agriculture in America. This is a topic that I do not know alot about, and I was amazed to first learn about how much land New York devotes to agriculture and about the extraordinary amounts of food being produced. One interesting point brought up was that, when the average person buys a tomato at Wegmans, they rarely think about where the tomato really came from. As we enjoy dinner in the company of friends, how often do we think about the manual labor and long processes it took to provide the delicious food we eat? I know that I rarely think about where the food I eat comes from, the taste and cooking is always the first point of comment around any dinner table. The hard labor and cost put into the food is abstracted from the food itself. Now that I am more aware, I appreciate all that it took to produce the food we eat and agriculture’s vital link in society.

Another interesting point is that, as a nation, we are fully dependent on the hard work of our farmers to provide us with the nourishment we need. Despite the importance of the agriculture industry/farming, there is still a negative stigma attached to farm work. The hard, physical labor invovled may seem distasteful to the average American, but what would America be with broken agriculture? Agriculture is a multi-billion dollar industry, and its workers are largely undocumented immigrants from Mexico. It is easy to become distracted by the current state of the political world from the issues that really matter to the integrity of our country.  We should focus on immigration reform instead of infeasible ideas like Trump’s “wall” and provide all immigrants with the opportunity for happiness and security, a dream we all strive for.

For most of my life I haven’t cared about agriculture and the lives of farmers was something that my mind could not even picture. I’ve been a city kid since the day before forever and my grandmother once spoke of working on a farm, she did not enjoy it. Thus my perceptions of agriculture and its wonders were not exactly the best, I’m sure that I’m not the only one but after the Becker-Rose Café this past Wednesday my preconceived notions are slowly beginning to change. First off, I never realized how much food New York state actually produces, thanks to my experiences living in the city I thought that the only thing NY produced was criminals, smelly garbage, and confusing slang . I was also shocked to learn that more than half the kids in the room were just about as clueless as I was about agriculture and farming. I feel that more agricultural awareness should be spread, people work very hard to produce our food and it would be nice to gain some knowledge about the various techniques and methods they use to do it.

I personally will start to think a bit more about those who produce food and learn to respect agriculture as a vital aspect of society. I apologize for the shortness of this post but I must study for a prelim or two.

Sincerely,

Clarence Boyce

At this week’s Becker-Rose Cafe, we got the opportunity to talk with Justine Vanden Heuvel & Mary Jo Dudley, two women dedicated to the betterment of agriculture. In particular, we spoke a great deal about the social and economic effects of undocumented immigrants in the workforce.

One statistic stands in my mind: at this current point in time, it is conservatively estimated that 50% of our nation’s farm workers are undocumented. Fifty. With that in mind, it’s not difficult to see how a mass deportation would devastate our economy and agriculture as we know it. It’s true that, in an ideal world, these jobs would be filled by American citizens, but the reality of the situation is that there is a nearly insurmountable stigma surrounding the farming. It’s often thought that agriculture is a waste of intellect, and that jobs in that field should be reserved for those individuals that lack the technical skill to do anything else. Of course this is nowhere near a fair assumption, but we must acknowledge that it remains the prevailing idea. We also need to realize that this isn’t going to change over night. Shifting this stereotype will take years and years of work, and as we stand right now, we would be hard-pressed to find replacements for the laborers that would be lost in a mass deportation.

Now I’m not saying that I condone illegal immigration. I don’t. But I also don’t condemn people for wanting a better life. Would I rather them take the necessary steps to citizenship? Of course. Do I understand the burden they place on the tax-paying citizens of America? Most definitely. But this talk made it very clear to me that, regardless of your political agenda, deporting every illegal immigrant is simply not economically feasible. They comprise the backbone of our society, and if we get rid of the immigrants, we ultimately get rid of our food.

And I like food..

This week I didn’t arrive at the Rose Cafe until later, which meant that I missed some of the talk.  But I did get to hear some thoughts from both of our guests, Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudely, in their talk about farming.  One of the topics discussed at length was migrant farm workers.  I hadn’t realized that there were migrant farm workers this far north.  I had assumed that most illegal immigrant workers would work closer to where they came from, or maybe just not as far north as New York.  And when I found out that the entire northern strip of NY bordering Canada and Lake Ontario was simultaneously a very fertile growing land and a place where border patrols could easily deport illegals, I was quite shocked.

As a person born and raised in the heart of Manhattan, I knew very little about what farm working actually entailed.  Every summer my family and I would go out to Lancaster, PA, but that just showed me what farms looked like, not how they worked.  At the very least I did know that my food did not come from the supermarket, but actually from some farm somewhere.  This talk was very enlightening as I learned more about how difficult it is to run a farm and to work on a farm, and what people work on farms.

We had the good fortune of having Mary Jo Dudley, the Senior Extension Associate Director of the Cornell Farmworkers Program, and Justine Vanden Heuvel, Associate Professor in Plant Sciences, attend the Becker-Rose Cafe Series.  They discussed a subject we all possess a deep interest and love of: food! However, what they shared and discussed with us was not the rosier aspects of the food industry, such as the distribution of goods at our local Wegmans or how to construct delicious meals out of healthy ingredients, but rather the farm workers who are indispensable to the industry and are the true source of the procurement of the food we consume daily.

Our guests raised an interesting point in stating that in the process of consuming food, we consider factors such as the manner in which it was cooked or perhaps the quality of the ingredients, but what is abstracted away are the human beings involved who are the source of this meal. We learned that over half of the farm workers in this nation are undocumented immigrants. The reality that our guests lamented is the average American’s distaste with farm labor because of factors like the negative stigma attached to the work and the physical labor necessary. With this in mind, the recent clamoring within the GOP for immigrant deportation is not only immoral, but completely infeasible from an economic standpoint. Our nation has been built off the backs of immigrant labor, and the least we can do is provide these workers an opportunity to fulfill dreams like learning English and obtaining a basic education.

The Rose House Café was eye-opening in a way I did not expect. Prior to the event, I rarely thought of where the food I ate came from. As far as I was concerned really, the food I ate came from the local supermarket a mere 5 minutes away. I paid even less attention to who was picking this food. The food industry is simply more complex than one could ever imagine. A lot of people, including myself have been ignorant of the industry’s complexity. Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudely’s discussion at the Rose House Café brought a lot of insight as to how the industry operates. When people hear “New York” an image of Times Square or tall skyscrapers pops into their head. Hardly does anyone picture the vast farmland used as the second largest producer of apples and pumpkins in the country, in addition to other crops. I usually made a trip to the orchards with my family one time in the fall season to pick apples in upstate New York but I never realized how big of a contributor the state was. I was shocked to learn that agriculture was a $5.7 billion dollar industry—I wondered if this was a real statistic or just exaggerated; it was accurate. Cornell first started a program to help farm workers in the 1970s because students in CALS who were required to work a farm for a semester or year. These students recognized the need to offer support for farmers and improve living and working conditions for farmers and their families.

It’s true that the conditions for farmers today have improved a lot since then but what about the migrant workers? It is not possible to measure how many undocumented migrant workers there are. Most of the workers are from Mexico and Guatemala and have a 6^th grade level education. It is estimated that there are anywhere from half to ninety-five percent of the farm workers are underestimated. Questions remain about the treatment of these undocumented workers. Especially because of the upcoming presidential election, immigration is a topic widely talked about. Deporting these undocumented workers would not only hurt the billion dollar farming industry but it would also break families as children born in America are citizens. Personally, I feel like more attention should be focused on undocumented workers. Of course these workers should not just be granted citizenship but they should be protected in a way that helps the industry and also supports the workers by ensuring their rights and providing health care to them and their families.

At the last house dinner, the residents of Rose house had the privilege to have a meal comprised of ingredients from local farms and plantations. While the meal was delicious, my favorite part of the day was the information session lead afterwards by Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley. The two gave a presentation about the New York state agriculture industry and I learned that New York is actually a leader in growing many different species of produce. While I found this all very interesting, the part of the presentation that resonated with me the most regarded the people who actually worked on these farms. Agriculture is a 5.7 billion dollar industry, its workers being primarily undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala. Immigration reform is an issue I hold of upmost importance and this presentation really shed a light on how some undocumented immigrants live. As a first-generation America, the fact that my parents came to this country in search of opportunity has always been a motivating force for me. Every year, thousands of people seek to come to this country with the same hope for opportunity that my parents had; however, our current immigration system simply isn’t capable of accommodating for everyone. In my senior year of high school, I did my senior thesis on the immigration reform bill that was in congress at the time. In my research I specifically remember the bill expanding the amount of unskilled workers visas the country allotted, which directly refers to these farm workers. Additionally, the bill outlined a path for citizenship for individuals currently in the country illegally. This bill never actually passed the House of Representatives and our immigration system remains broken. With the presidential election looming, immigration reform has been a hot topic for candidates- however the issue is that the problem becomes subject to party politics and the immigrants are the ones who suffer as a result. This presentation really gave me a perspective of how some undocumented farm workers in America live and their journey for opportunity. As an ILR student, I hope to specialize in immigration labor studies and immigration reform policy overall; as I continue my education I will keep the livelihoods of these farm workers in mind in an effort to provide a clearer path to citizenship for them and a chance for opportunity.

My Farm to Fork Dinner, it was delicious! The picture really doesn’t do it justice, but it was definitely related to the post so…

Come to think of it, you rarely question where your dinner came from. Yes, you know that it was the chef on campus or your mom back at home who prepared it, but where did the ingredients come from in the first place? Who actually grew the vegetables, who raised the livestock? Who should we be thanking for the raw materials?

The answer is rather simple and straightforward, the farmers! But why is it that they don’t gain the appreciation for what they are doing? Oddly enough there is a sense of disconnect in our minds between the farmers and the food we eat, the same food that they were responsible for cultivating. Most of us are clueless about the identities and backgrounds of the people who grow the ingredients we put in our bodies, and only yesterday I was one of those people.

Thankfully Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley were able to educate me on this topic during a Q&A session right after Cornell Dining’s Farm to Fork meal. I learned a ton of new information about the farmers themselves and the NY agriculture, but here are just a few random things wrote down during the event:

• Cornell Farmerworker program was started by a group of CALS students, who spent a summer or a semester working on a farm, it seeks to improve the living and working conditions of farmers and their families through education and extension
• Many of the farm workers are improperly documented and obtain knowledge at the level of 6th grade
• These farmers hope to interact with local populations and learn what they can do to move up
• They live in constant fear of getting identified as undocumented
• NY wines compete great internationally
• Justine works to improve the production of wines and make the whole process more sustainable
• Walmart buys the majority of NY apples!

Well, there you have it!

Eating is something that people do everyday to stay healthy and nourished. The majority of people, however, do  not grow their own food. This could be for many of the reasons discussed yesterday: the work is tough and laborious, people may not see opportunity to grow and expand, there is the stigma of seeming “dirty” or “uneducated”. What was also surprising was that of the room of what seemed to be 30 people, only 5 people had any connection to agriculture (whether it be their major, they grew up on a farm, or even just worked on one). With such a small number of people in who have even a remote connection  with agriculture, who are the ones who are providing food on our tables? Well, it is improperly documented migrant workers whom we have to thank. One of the most memorable conversations from last night were the consequences of a potential wall being built along the American border. Because over half of the farmers on New York State are farmers who may face deportment, New York State agriculture would, without a doubt, face a heavy strain. Farmers would have to raise prices to sustain themselves, but there are laws that limit the prices of food. As a result, it would become even tougher to sustain a farm.

Although I always remind myself that people had to work hard for the food on my plate, I have never thought about agriculture as in depth as I did yesterday. Asides from the obvious obstacles such as inclement weather, and crop pests, other factors unrelated to the crops or weather can have strong effects on the agriculture industry, such as foreign policy.

I remember when I was looking at pre-Orientation programs the summer before my freshman year, I was considering one that included working on a farm. “Why would you do that? You don’t like working in the dirt. You’ll be bored a couple days in,” my dad insisted. I ended up doing a different program, but I still think wonder why stigma and my lack of experience keeps me from trying it.

Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley’s discussion was insightful, but it made me a little sad to think how separated most of us in the room are from the production of our food, or how children today think food comes from Wegmans or Tops. If most of the farm workers are undocumented immigrants that have to avoid being sighted during heavy traffic on the highway, and most people have never been on a farm, food production is completely dehumanized.

I know there are many factors in this issue that I don’t understand, but I think there could be ways to slowly break down the stigma and become more connected with local farms. There are certain trends and desires in today’s society that could be complimented with visiting a local farm. The job may be difficult and dirty, but many people are trying to get in shape and live active lifestyles. Why burn energy at the gym creating nothing, when you can sweat picking apples or grapes, contributing to something that needs to be done? There may be little job advancement and low pay, but volunteering on the side, feeling more connected to nature, and observing a small part of the agriculture system in New York may be something more people will benefit from. This may be silly idealism, but I think people like me should get uncomfortable, get dirty, and see what it’s like for themselves.

I openly admit that I usually don’t think about the origin of my food. I’m not referring to supermarkets, restaurants, or other food vendors. Mostly everything that is eaten can probably be traced back to a farm. In New York, 25% of the land is considered farmland. At Cornell, I am constantly reminded of the influence and presence of agriculture. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is one of Cornell’s most popular colleges. Even Ezra Cornell, the founder of Cornell University, was considered a farmer.

Mary Jo Dudley spoke to us about the migrant worker. It was greatly troubling to hear some of the obstacles and challenges one has to face if he or she is an undocumented worker. A fascinating hypothetical scenario was proposed. What would happen if all undocumented individuals were deported? Besides moral concerns (e.g. separation of families), one could also speculate that the agricultural industry would be severely affected. This is because the majority of farm workers are actually undocumented immigrants. If this is the case, it would probably be wise to develop alternative solutions to the issue of immigration.

Being a farmer is not the most sought out profession in the United States. Why is this? Perhaps, it is due to a certain stigma of being “uneducated” or “dirty.” Perhaps, it is due to the fact that farm work is incredibly labor intensive and demanding. Regardless of the answer(s), the inevitable truth is that most Americans do not plan to work on a farm. It is, therefore, critical to not underestimate the influence of the migrant worker. The next time I eat a meal, I will make sure to appreciate the work that goes on behind the scenes.

“Kids think apples come from Wegmans,” said Mary Jo Dubley at tonight’s discussion after our Farm-to-Fork meal.

It is so easy to forget about everything and everyone involved in getting an apple to our table… like the migrant farm-workers who live in fear every-day to produce them.

As I walked out of the library after the discussion, I overheard 2 students that walked out with me talk about why “they don’t just get their papers.” So instead of talking about what I learned from the speakers, I’d like to share a few things.

I was born and raised in a Juan Jose Rios, Sinaloa, Mexico which is what you would consider a “village” that relies on agriculture. I grew up on the fields helping my grandparents pick beans. Then, when I was 7 my parents brought me to this country. Since then, I have considered myself an American. I AM an American… But to this day, I have yet to be recognized as one. I have yet to have the privilege of voting. I have yet to know I can fearlessly live in this country- that I call home- for the rest of my life. And hopefully I do not have to wait ANOTHER 13 years for this to become a reality, but unfortunately, that is how it is for MANY others like myself if we don’t get deported first…

If one were to ask a group of students in an urban classroom in the US who are planning to work on a farm after graduating, you would be hard-pressed to find a significant percentage saying yes. That is not to say that agriculture is not important because it is quite vital to our way of living and economy. Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley gave an enlightening talk about the state of agriculture in New York and the US, talking about problems and topics that I have never considered before.  The problem is the disconnect between the current generation and what agriculture actually involves. There is a pervasive stigma that working on a farm is dangerous, physically strenuous and dirty and Americans seem to not want to work in an industry that seems to not offer advancement in careers. Therefore, the majority of the workforce for agriculture is foreign; but the majority of those workers are undocumented. These farmworkers are perpetually at risk for deportation and it puts the agricultural industry in a precarious position. Even the booming grape wine industry in New York is not safe in its growth and success if the supply of farmworkers is insecure.

According to studies, a conservative estimate of how much of the labor in agriculture is foreign is actually at least 50%. If the situation with undocumented migrant workers is not handled properly, then the agricultural industry could collapse overnight because who would pick the apples, milk the cows and make wine from grapes? Gaining a better understanding of how farmworkers live and the problems they face will be essential in ensuring that the agricultural industry remains healthy and thrives. For example, most children of farmworkers don’t stay at one school for more than 2 months, leading to a low quality education. Families obviously don’t want that for their children but their hands are tied when it comes to finding work.

If people like us take an active role in helping these farmworkers, even if it is as simple as tutoring other children our age, and in learning about the different aspects of agriculture, then we become better equipped to deal with future problems pertaining to agriculture. Additionally, we would also become much more aware of the opportunities available in agriculture because it is a multifaceted industry. There is a lot of service jobs in the industry, such as risk management for vineyards or economics with market pricing, that can fit your skills and let you have a career (with advancements!) that you actually may enjoy.

It is essential to not disregard something just because your ambitions don’t lie in that field. Agriculture is a silent, but important part of our lives and ensuring that it is a position that can grow and not falter will be crucial.

After eating a delicious dinner tonight, I came to this insightful Rose Scholars talk that opened my eyes as to where the food I am eating comes from. As a West Campus resident, I am able to swipe into any of the dining halls and eat food already prepared and waiting for consumption. Getting access to food seems so simple. Until today, I have never really thought about who the farmers who grow the vegetables and fruits that I am eating are, and what their lives are like.

I never thought about the fact that around half of the farm worker in the U.S are undocumented workers who work long, strenuous hours on the farm to cultivate the crops that we eat now. I never thought about the fact that these migrant workers have to live a life in hiding because if they are caught by government officials, they risk being deported back to the country they just left. Thus, government immigration policies can have a big impact on our agriculture and our food. It was really amazing to gather insight today into how food is so connected to different aspects of our lives, from our health to even government politics and the upcoming presidential elections.

Justine Heuvel and Mary Jo Dubley came to speak to us tonight and offer their different but complementary perspectives on agriculture, both in New York State and in general. Many interesting facts were brought up that seemed to come as a surprise to many of the students in attendance, thus demonstrating the point that there is a disconnect between the consumers (us and everyone!) and the true producers of food – the farmers. For example, we learned that a quarter of NYS land is farmland, and this land is home to 36,000 farms. Moreover, agriculture is a 5.7 billion dollar sector of our economy and New York is the second largest producer of apples and pumpkins in the country (as well as in the top 10 of many other fruits and vegetables). Although I am accustomed to hearing about apple-picking trips and buying apples straight from the orchard, the greatest percentage of apple farm sales is actually to Wal-Mart, which is the number one buyer of NYS apples.

Another surprisingly large number that was discussed was the percentage of undocumented farm workers, with estimates ranging from 50%-95%. The implications of this are quite far reaching, especially considered in combination with our approaching Presidential election. A stricter policy regarding undocumented workers could create a major farm-labor shortage and thus severely drive up the cost of food. It seems as thought US citizens do not want any jobs in agriculture for many reasons – such as safety concerns, a seeming lack of room to “move up” in the industry, the associated social stigma, and also the hard nature of most jobs on the farm. However, as Mary Jo Dudley pointed out – being (successful) in agriculture also requires business and organizational skills and scientific knowledge. Farmable land is a finite resource and the challenge of increasing efficiency, maintaining quality, and decreasing costs provides the opportunity for a great deal of improvement and advancement. Perhaps this incentive will increase the number of Americans in agriculture and help to increase awareness of the problems farm workers face today.

Of all the Rose House Cafés I have been to this attracted the smallest crowd.  Now I am not sure if that is because everyone is busy with prelim season or if its simply because we think we know where our food comes from or because we don’t care.  Truthfully I don’t think many of us have stopped to think where the food comes from before it gets to Wegmans or the dining hall.  Yet behind the food we eat is 25% of the land in New York state, 10% of Mexico’s population, and a multi-million dollar industry that is experiencing a labor shortage.

Why are there so many undocumented workers and still a labor shortage?  Simply put, it is “because American’s don’t want to work on farms” as Dudley stated.  And when Vanden Heuvel asked if anyone had worked on a farm or was connected to farming, Dudley’s summary was displayed in the lack of hands that were raised.  No one wants to go into the agriculture market because it is such a risky business.  While yes it is also that there is a stigma, it is physically hard work, and the pay is low, the gamble of the industry is also a huge deterrent.  After all, if the weather changes or a disease hits the crops, a farmer could lose his entire income for a season.  An income that was supposed to hold his entire family through the year.  Vanden Heuvel echoed this idea in her talk about the California wine industry and how at first it had great weather for wine making, but now with the lack of water it is becoming harder.

Another point that was stressed, was that while we may know where our food is coming from, we do not know who is producing it.  This is because the majority of the work force is “improperly” documented Mexican and Guatemalan workers as Dudley put it.  It was interesting to hear how the migrant work force was once comprised of sharecroppers, hoboes, and coal workers and how once 2/3 of the labor was from migrant workers but now those laborers have settled down because of the dairy industry.  It was interesting to hear how farm laborers don’t want their kids to work on farms however if they did not work on a farm they would continue to work outdoors, like in construction.

The lack of information and acknowledgement consumers have about where their food comes from is a major reason that programs like the one Cornell has for farm workers are necessary.  I think it is interesting that Cornell University stopped making CALS students work on a farm in order to graduate however I am glad that Cornell students were able to turn this requirement into a long-term program to help improve the lives of farmworkers and their families and to acknowledge their needs and wants and what they do.

Why is it that there is such a disconnect between the agriculture world and consumers?