Digest Number 154

February 1, 2001

Dear Ms Arredondo

Please send me a copy of the publication that highlights the

recommendations of the National Advisory Council on Migrant Health and the

more recent publication that has been published by the Migrant Health

Branch, summarizing the current priorities of the Council.

Txs

Carolyn Davenport

Instructor

Nursing Department

SLU 10835

Hammond, Louisiana 70402

504.549.3372

February 2, 2001

Adolfo - The bill signed by Gov. in California will make funds

available to job training programs which seek to provide skills training

for hired farm workers who have been presumed to have been displaced by

mechanization or land development. While thousands of acres of

prime farmland have been lost to development in recent years,

particularly in the Central Valley of California, there has been no net

loss of land devoted to crop production. In fact, in the past 25

years, the total amount of land devoted to orchard and vineyard

production in California has increased by 800,000 acres and is at a

record high level. Vegetable output in the state has doubled

(measured in tons produced per year), and harvested vegetable acreage is

up by more than 50% in the same period. Thus, while we have lost

precious cropland in the periphery of many cities, the amount of land

converted from range and pasture to crop production has actually more

than offset the losses to development.

As to agricultural employment, the Employment Development Department

reports of hired farm worker employment show significant overall gains,

amounting to a net increase of about 20% - 25% in the same 25 year

period. However, direct-hire employment (by farm operators) has

declined by quite a large amount. But hiring by farm labor

contractors has grown by leaps and bounds. A recent report from EDD

showed that employment in the farm service sector, which is mostly labor

contractors and farm management companies, was the eighth most rapidly

growing industry in the state in the period 1990-2000.

Therefore, the employment data supports the findings of large increases

in plantings and harvested acreage of labor-intensive crops. On a

recent trip to the Imperial Valley, farmers there complained of a lack of

adequate numbers of workers. Citrus industry labor contractors are

reporting a shortage of pickers this year. Of course, if the labor

shortage is real, then, as economists argue, we should see wage rates go

up. The good news is that the California minimum wage went up to

$6.25 per hour, effective January 1, 2001.

The real question about the bill that Gov. signed is whether the

job training funds are going to be wisely spent, and whether workers

will, in fact, directly benefit from the appropriation.

Don Villarejo

At 04:29 PM 2/1/01 -0500, Mata, Adolfo wrote:

Don V./

L.

Any thoughts on this?

Adolfo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Steve Maviglio

January 29, 2001 916/

445-4571

GOVERNOR DAVIS ANNOUNCES GRANT FOR DISPLACED

FARMWORKER PROJECTS IN

CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL AREAS

SACRAMENTO * Governor Gray today announced a

$2.2 million grant

that will provide retraining and reemployment

services to California*s

displaced agriculture industry

workers.

*Agriculture*s labor demands have declined

significantly as a result of

encroaching development and increased mechanization,*

said Governor

. *In turn, the number of displaced agriculture

workers has risen

steadily over the past six years. This administration

is committed to

providing the training and other employment services

necessary for these

men and women to re-enter the workforce as quickly

and efficiently as

possible.*

Between 1994 and 1999 federal job training funds have

been provided to

selected workforce investment areas to conduct local

projects to assist

agricultural workers. These areas have been

successful in retraining and

placing workers in unsubsidized employment as well as

improving working

relations with other service providers. This grant is

designed to meet

the needs of the agriculture workers who are not

reached by the

mainstream workforce programs.

*Many agriculture workers are hesitant to request

services from

unfamiliar organizations,* Governor continued.

*The additional

funds will ensure that we not only reach the workers,

but that we offer

a wide array of services in both English and

Spanish.*

La ativa Campesina de California will

administer the grant. In

coordination with other service providers throughout

the state, La

ativa plans to serve 440 workers during the

coming year.

Basic employment services available to laid-off

agriculture workers

include career counseling, local labor market

information, job search,

and job placement assistance. Workers will also have

access to remedial

education, vocational education, vocational classroom

training and

on-the-job training. If indicated, additional

services provided through

coordinating agencies may include child care and

transportation

assistance, housing, medical, dental, and financial

counseling services.

The funds are drawn from the Governor*s 15 percent

Discretionary Fund a

Title I provision of the federal Workforce Investment

Act. The

Employment Development Department exercises oversight

authority for the

funds.

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Don Villarejo, PhD

P.O. Box 381

, CA 95617

(530)756-6545 voice & facsimile

October 25, 2001

Terri. glad to hear you brought down your sugars..I had high blood sugar while pregnant with my 2nd daughter but after she was born I was ok..As far as treatment goes it'll get here...All I can say is keep after your Dr. until he prescribes it to you..Hang in there and we are always here for ya!!!!

Jan

October 25, 2001

Hi all,

TY all for being there. I couldn't make it without you. I'm

getting the hang of this now and by diet have brought my sugars to

normal. But.......... i still have to start taking Avandia. As far as

treatment i have been waiting over a year and a half and i jst want to

get it over with, so Ms. Inpatient is my name. lol I love you all.

Terri

August 19, 2002

Hello all......after a long trip to Springfield today....60 miles each

way....to get my laptop.....found out it is still having problems that

weren't addressed so we sent it right back to the factory.....I hate that

because I can't sit in the wheelchair for very long to use the desk

top....(spinal problems)...saw the neurosurgeon today and he's concerned

that I need surgery...another vertabrae is pushing against my spinal cord

and on top of that my right hip and knee needs a total replacement....He

says it would be too dangerous to even attempt with the damage done to my

liver....made an appt for me to go to pain clinic to discuss other options

beside oral medications....if surgery is out of the question so is a pain

pump.....oh..what fun this is!!!!! just my weird sense of humor!

Like someone else said...we don't know yet what all hep c does to our

body....I am beginning to wonder if it is what caused my joints and

vertabrae to disintergrate.....these problems first started about 4 months

after they think I was exposed to the hep c virus in 1977......I was told

these physical problems could be genetic but no one else in my family has

had anything like this happen to them.....

Jeoffrey...I hope you get to feeling better....the hep c keeps me kinda up

and down...I'll go along a few days feeling pretty good...them wammmm! I'll

be so sick I think I'm dieing and that will last a few days....and like I

said...I'm not even on treatment yet.......

Everyone...take care....love...judy

August 19, 2002