Mythical life expectancy numbers

[Guest guest]

The "49 years life expectancy" for farmworkers comes from the 1960 documentary, "Harvest of Shame," in which it was mentioned by R. Murrow in his description of the litany of problems faced by farmworkers. The documentary does not indicate where it obtained these estimates.

To the extent that this number was ever accurate, it is badly dated, and does not reflect the wholesale changes in the demographics of the farmworker population, not to mention the enormous advances in provision of health services to farmworkers since 1960.

Greg Schell

Migrant Farmworker Justice Project

508 Lucerne Avenue

Lake Worth, Florida 33460-3819

(561) 582-3921