Five on Friday | October 21, 2016

The final days of harvest have arrived for much of the country. In North Dakota, farmworkers are struggling to pull out the sugar beet harvest amid heavy and unseasonable rainfall. Apple harvest -- one of the worst in recent years -- will wrap up soon in New York State. In California, the opposite is true. Slightly cooler weather in the Central Valley and a recent early rainstorm means farms are green with young plants to fill America’s salad plates through the winter. As many migrant farmworkers shift from one region to another to secure work, we take a look at the many issues that may affect their health and the health of other mobile and underserved workers in the US and around the world. Here are the top five recommendations from Migrant Clinicians Network’s staff this week. What did you see that impacts mobile workers?

1. Alma, Senior Program Manager of Environmental and Occupational Health, sent her first Five on Friday recommendation -- the bold new plan adopted by world leaders at this month’s UN Summit to enhance protections for refugees and migrants.


2. Jessica, Grant Writer, shared a Guardian article about One Day Without Us, a day of action in the UK including a migrant labor boycott to push back against rising xenophobia. (This article came out the same week as news that Polish farmworkers aren’t returning to the UK in the numbers that farms need.)


3. Karen, CEO, shared this campaign which is raising money for the WaterSeer, a device that pulls water from the air. It would be interesting to see these as water sources for farmworkers in the fields!


4. Candace, Specialist in Women’s Health, shared NC Field’s update on farmworkers in North Carolina who were affected by Hurricane Matthew, and the relief fund to help them, set up by NC Field and partners.


5. Claire, Writer and Editor, sent along Plaza Sesamo’s take on the Zika virus -- a guide and information for parents, plus Elmo y Raya videos, games, and more for the children. 

Have a safe and healthy weekend!

Like what you see? Amplify our collective voice with a contribution.
Got some good news to share? Send it to us via email, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

Return to the main blog page or sign up for blog updates here.