Scores of farm violations found in seven Miami-Dade farms

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Wed, Nov. 26, 2003

Scores of farm violations found in seven Miami-Dade farms
ADRIAN SAINZ
Associated Press

MIAMI - Investigators making a two-day sweep of Miami-Dade County farm fields found two child labor violations and dozens of other infractions by labor contractors as workers rushed to pick vegetables for holiday dinner tables, state officials said Wednesday.

The sweep of 42 farms in Homestead and Florida City last week by the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation found 94 total violations at seven farms, said Meg Shannon, a spokeswoman for the department. She said investigators issued 22 total citations to farm labor contractors

The farms grow seasonal vegetables such as beans, squash, cucumbers and tomatoes that are shipped throughout the East.

One farm labor contractor was cited for two violations involving workers ages 14 and 16, Shannon said. The contractor was not identified, nor were the specifics of the violations.

Other violations included failure of contractors to be properly registered, use of unsafe or overloaded vehicles carrying workers to and from fields, lack of water or drinking cups and no hand washing facilities or materials in the fields and failure to properly dispose of sewage. (snip/...)

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/7358771.htm

[slaveplanet]

1. They must not have paid their protection money

To the APPPOINTED sheriff.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. Hense the "unprotected borders." Someone here illegally is less

inclined to report or protest treatment like this.

[lumpy]

3. Some things never change

Be sure to wash your veggies well.

[drb]

4. Well, if Bush* wins in 2004, we'll all be glad...

...to get jobs picking veggies in about 2007. Best we get conditions improved now!

Either that, or vote Democratic!