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Much of California’s fresh fruit and vegetable harvest is shut down today |
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Reports this morning reveal much of the fresh fruit and vegetable harvest is shut down across large swaths of California. From the strawberry and vegetable fields of the Salinas Valley and Ventura County to the table grape vineyards and carrot industry of the San Joaquin Valley to the wine grape vineyards of Napa and Sonoma counties, tens of thousands of farm workers are not working today and instead are joining nonviolent marches, vigils and rallies organized by the United Farm Workers. (See link to listings below.) • More than 60,000 farm workers should be in strawberry, lettuce and vegetable fields today in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. Very few crews are in evidence this morning. • A similar phenomenon is seen in the San Joaquin Valley. At large companies such as Giumarra, which currently has 25 crews budding table grapes, most vineyards are empty. Bolthouse Farms, a carrot company employing 4,000 farm workers, is shut down. The UFW is helping to organize May 1 protests in dozens of farm worker communities throughout California as well as in Florida, South Texas and Washington state. – end – |
