Farmworker advocates, workforce programs highlight outreach, clinics and training

Farmworker advocates told the committees that workforce development and direct services reduce turnover and help small farms adapt to regulatory and market pressures.

Diana Malero Silva of the California Farmworker Foundation described on‑the‑ground programs that deliver health checks, Medi‑Cal navigation, ESL classes and vocational training in field locations, saying those services helped reach over 65,000 farmworkers last year and improve access to healthcare and job advancement.

Why it matters: farm labor shortages and an aging workforce are central constraints to maintaining production. Witnesses said funding and inclusion of farmworker voices in program design are necessary to ensure that technical assistance and workforce programs reach the people they intend to serve.

“We have to take care of our farm workers,” Malero Silva told the committees, and she urged continued partnership between nonprofits, growers and government to sustain workforce pipelines and outreach programs. Committee chairs committed to follow‑up meetings and to seek ways to ensure programs do not impose unintended barriers for farmworkers seeking certification or training.