“Migrant Justice launches a new and expanded survey of dairy farm workers in Vermont”

Ten years after it conducted the first survey assessing the wages and living conditions of nearly 200 dairy farmworkers in Vermont, Migrant Justice has launched a larger effort.

In partnership with the Labor Center at UMass Amherst, dairy farm workers have already begun bringing surveys to their peers across Vermont. For the first time, they will also survey workers across New England…

Canedo estimated Vermont has about 800-900 migrant workers (not counting their families) and said the survey will focus on them…

The data collected in June and July of 2014 found nearly half of the 172 dairy farm workers surveyed were paid below the state minimum wage (then $8.73)…

After its 2014 survey, Migrant Justice launched its Milk with Dignity program, a campaign that promotes fair wages and dignity on farms across the state and has most recently targeted Hannaford, urging the grocery chain to improve conditions on the farms that supply its dairy products…

Migrant Justice also conducted a smaller survey in 2018-2019 looking at the working and living conditions of about 100 farmworkers outside the Milk with Dignity program…The results indicated high rates of workplace injuries and illnesses and a serious lack of safety equipment and training…