Dietary Intake and Food Security Among Migrant Farm Workers in Pennsylvania

Agriculture is Pennsylvania's single largest industry and migrant farm workers constitute a significant portion its labor force. Their contributions harvesting and processing farm crops have a positive economic impact on the farms and communities where they work and live. Each year approximately 45,000 to 50,000 migrant farm workers enter Pennsylvania to assist in harvesting the commonwealth's fruit, vegetable, and mushroom crops (Rural Opportunities, Inc., 2002). According to the Agricultural Statistics Service, 25% of the land in the state is farmland. Pennsylvania ranks fifth nationally in apple production, fourth in grape production, fifth in pear production, fourth in peach production, sixth in tart cherries, and ninth in sweet cherries production. In 2000, Pennsylvania produced 475 million pounds of apples; 310 million of those were produced in Adams County, and had an estimated value of approximately $35 million. (Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics, 2001) Moreover, Pennsylvania growers supplied 53% of all mushrooms grown in the United States. Sales of Pennsylvania mushrooms accounted for 49 % of the nation's fresh market sales and 71 % of processing sales (Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics, 2001). It is tragically ironic that the efforts of migrant farm workers allow the U.S. population access to high quality and affordable foods while they often suffer from food insecurity, malnutrition, poor health status, poverty, low job security, and often live and work in unsafe and unsanitary conditions (Slesinger, 1992 ). These poor living and work conditions contribute to a myriad of health, mental health, and social and behavioral problems that include chronic health conditions (Slesinger, 1992; Slesinger, Christenson, & Cautley, 1986; Slesinger & Ofstead, 1993) substance abuse (Alaniz, 1994), domestic violence (Van Hightower & Gordon, 1999; Martin & Gordon, 1995; Tan, Ray, et al., 1991), and other co-morbid mental health problems (Alderete, Vega, et al., 2000; Kupersmidt & Martin, 1997). The families and children of migrant farm workers are not immune to these problems and often suffer from child abuse and neglect, poor physical and mental health, and limited educational opportunities (Belton, 2000; Elder et al, 2000; Kupersmidt & Martin, 1997; Larson et al., 1987; Larson et al., 1990; Lee et al., 1990; Martinez & Gingras, 1996; Slesinger & Cautley, 1986). The purpose of this study was to expand upon this body of knowledge and examine critical components of health and well-being: the nutrition, food security, and food sufficiency maintenance practices of migrant farm workers in Pennsylvania, and the impact of food program participation on these outcomes. Useful information on the health and especially the nutritional status of migrant farm workers comes mainly from regional and state-specific studies (see Alarcon, 1995; Alderete & Vega, 2000; Runsten & Kearney, 1994; Slesinger, 1985). It is expected that state and regional variation in agricultural crops and products as well as individual and family characteristics will impact food security, food sufficiency maintenance practices, and potentially food assistance program participation of migrant farm workers and their families. The methodology for this study involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data (focus group interviews and surveys) to examine the food and nutritional context of migrant farm workers. The focus groups had three main objectives: 1) identify barriers to achieving good nutrition; 2) understand the programmatic, social, cultural, and lifestyle factors to which these barriers can be attributed; and 3) reveal practices employed to increase food security. The survey consisted of the USDA food security instrument, information on utilization of food assistance programs, and demographic characteristics. The Pennsylvania survey data was compared to an existing dataset from the Current Population Survey (CPS) to determine how factors such as ethnicity, migrant status (seasonal, settled), and other factors impact use of food assistance programs among migrant workers in five Pennsylvania counties (Adams, Berks, Chester, Erie, Franklin). These data also will function as pilot data for a larger future study of the physical, mental and behavioral health and social context of migrant farm workers in Pennsylvania, and the development of their youth.