Labor Equity

We rely upon a vast network of workers to produce, harvest, process, transport, and distribute the food we eat. Historic exploitation of workers in the food system has resulted in direct challenges, such as low wages, poor benefits, and unsafe workplaces, and indirect challenges, such as increased reliance on public assistance and a lack of access to social services (FCWA, 2016).

• Farmworkers who travel across the country to provide labor-intensive and often risky work live in unsafe housing conditions and lack access to food and food assistance (Iowa Legal Aid, 2022; Zinnel, 2020).

• Other groups, including school food service staff and other workers along the middle of the supply chain (value chain coordinators, delivery drivers, food hub staff, meat locker employees, and other food processing employees) face challenges of low wages, inadequate resources, unsafe work environments, and a lack of career advancement opportunities (FCWA, 2016).

• According to the Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa is the number one state in the nation for hog production (Iowa Pork Producers Association, 2020). In the industry, immigration helps make up for extreme shortages in labor, and today, foreign-born labor makes up almost 68% of farm personnel on hog farms across the United States (Vaughn & Rosales, 2023).

Working toward labor equity involves addressing full and equitable access to employment opportunities, benefits, and resources for all people working in the various food system sectors.

A key challenge among Iowa’s food system workforce partners addressing various labor equity issues is that there has been little cross sectional collaboration around labor equity issues.

Partners, including business owners, the workers themselves and service agencies, each have a role in ensuring that food systems jobs protect the health of workers and communities. The Labor Equity priority team seeks to foster new connections and increased engagement on shared labor equity issues.

The Labor Equity priority team is dedicated to fostering expanded partnerships and creating space to support the outlined strategies. This team is currently led by Iowa State University Farm, Food and Enterprise Development and welcomes others who are also playing a critical role in and interested in contributing to this space. While there are multiple initiatives in Iowa working on labor equity, we encourage partners to use this priority team as a collaborative space to foster increased understanding and connection of their work.

• Megan Kemp, ISU Farm, Food and Enterprise Development

To achieve our goal of supporting Iowa's food system workforce through skill development, equitable compensation and investment, and safe and equitable work environments, especially those impacted by unjust labor policies and practices, we have determined the following strategies are urgently needed.

Strategy 1: Identify and promote existing compensated job training programs and education for Iowans engaged in food systems work - from the farm to the processing plant and coordination jobs in between.

Strategy 2: Improve strong labor protections, livable wages & benefits especially for workers in production, processing, distribution and access, and food service - including, but not limited to meat packing plant workers, on-farm migrant workers, and other food systems workers.

Strategy 3: Increase investment in food system workforce positions including, but not limited to value chain coordinator and food service positions.

Strategy 4: Enact immigrant, migrant, and refugee labor justice reforms especially to increase transparent and safe access to programs, benefits, and pathways to citizenship.

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Camp Creek Organic Produce

Iowa Cancer Consortium

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Farm, Food and Enterprise Development

Iowa Regional Food System Working Group

Iowa Workforce Development

Pottawattamie County Health

Proteus, Inc.

University of Northern Iowa Center for Energy & Environmental Education

• Food system workers range from farm workers to school food service staff and other workers across the middle of the supply chain.

• Veterans in Agriculture is only one of two registered apprenticeship programs in Iowa directly related to food and agriculture systems.

• Injustices experienced by farm workers range from low wages and inadequate housing to limited health care and inappropriately developed education and awareness resources.

• While immigrants make up 5% of the Iowa population, a 2018 report indicates immigrant workers made up 7% of the Iowa labor force.

• Read the Existing Conditions section in this chapter to learn about these and other important details about this priority.

Participants in the Iowa Food System Coalition work together, rely upon each other, and hold one another accountable in the work to advance the priorities of the Iowa Food System Plan. Interested in working together to advance a thriving, equitable food system in Iowa? Fill out our Interest Form here.