Supplement to Adjusting to Higher Labor Costs in Selected U.S. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Industries: Case Studies

by Linda Calvin, Philip Martin, and Skyler Simnitt

This supplement includes several case studies to reinforce the more general discussion contained in Adjusting to Higher Labor Costs in Selected U.S. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Industries (EIB-235). Farm labor costs increased from 2010-19 for several reasons, including fewer newly-arrived unauthorized workers, rising State minimum wages, and new requirements to pay overtime wages to some farm workers.The included case studies provide information on production, trade patterns, and current labor use and alternatives to hand labor in four fresh fruit—apples, grapes, blueberries, and strawberries—and four fresh vegetable and melon commodities—lettuce, melons, and tomatoes.

Keywords: Automation, farm labor, fruit, guest workers, H-2A program, harvest, imports, mechanization, specialty crops, vegetables, melons

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