faith in action

If you ate today, thank a farm worker

Today is Labor Day, a time when many people celebrate the end of summer. It’s also a time to celebrate workers’ rights. It’s also a day on which some of the most marginalized laborers in the U.S. have to work.


Many people stand with a sign that reads National Farm Worker Ministry: Together with Farmworkers Harvesting Justice.

Many people celebrate Labor Day as the end of summer. They enjoy a day off at picnics and barbecues.

Labor Day is also a time to consider the broad issues of labor in our country, workers’ rights like fair wages, decent working conditions and a safe work environment.

While many have off for the holiday, Labor Day is a day of work for some of the most marginalized American workers. Laborers like farm workers, domestic workers, restaurant and hotel workers, and others will spend the day at their jobs. Labor Day is like any other day for these workers. This day brings the same long hours, hard work and little pay. We know this, but today might be one of the few days that we pause to consider what to do about it.

Farm workers

Human hands picked most of the fresh fruits and vegetables we eat. Some of this comes from small farms near the communities where it is sold. Most of it, however, is harvested by farm workers on large farms and shipped across the country.

Most farm workers are immigrants, both documented and undocumented. Those with documents are increasingly part of the H2-A guest-worker program. They are recruited to work from three to nine months in the U.S. and then return to their countries of origin.

Many of the people who harvest our food, however, do not have documents. Many have been in this country 10 years or more. Many have families. The National Farm Worker Ministry’s website has a lot more information about these workers.

National Farm Worker Ministry

NFWM is a faith-based organization committed to justice for and empowerment of farm workers. NFWM educates, equips and mobilizes member organizations and other faith communities, groups and individuals to support farm-worker-led efforts to improve their living and working conditions.

Born out of the National Council of Churches Migrant Ministries, NFWM incorporated as a separate organization in 1971. Through Migrant Ministries in farm worker labor camps around the country, people of faith had seen the conditions under which farm workers worked, and many were looking for ways to make systemic change.

NFWM grew out of the request by Cesar Chavez to stand with farm workers on picket lines when farm workers were on strike and to join farm worker boycotts to put pressure on growers and companies to sign union contracts. Over the years, NFWM has accompanied farm workers on all their major campaigns – from lettuce and grape boycotts to Campbell’s Soup to berries to Taco Bell and now to Wendy’s.

The presence of the faith community through NFWM has been one of “standing with” wherever farm workers have exercised their right to self-determination. NFWM’s website has a lot more information.

United Methodists have been a part of NFWM with representatives on our board since the early days. United Methodists — in coalition with other denominations, religious orders and other groups — have been side by side in solidarity with farm worker issues. Besides the very basic admonition to “Love your neighbor as yourself,” United Methodists share the same basic scriptural and theological basis for this work that other Christian denominations do.

Church and Society has created a Farmworker Justice Faith and Facts card that examines the relationship between this justice issue, the Bible and The United Methodist Church.

Stand with farm workers

On this Labor Day, join with people of faith to pray for farm workers and give thanks for the labor that feeds us. Later this week, join us in taking the following actions:

  • Consider joining the National Farm Worker Ministry’s boycott of Wendy’s and taking a letter to your local store manager.

  • Support the Agricultural Workers Program Act of 2017, which was introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate earlier this year. This legislation allows farm workers in the country who are undocumented but who have been working here to continue to work while also providing a path to citizenship for them by creating a “blue card.” Contact your legislators to become co-sponsors of this bill or, if they are already co-sponsors, thank them for supporting it. Visit NFWM’s website for more about this legislation.

  • Sign up for NFWM’s action alerts about emerging opportunities to stand with farm workers.

Whatever you do this Labor Day, keep our farm workers in mind. Lift them up in prayer. Be thankful for the food they bring us. And resolve to stand with them as they work for justice.