Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Members Receive Grant Awards Through the Farm Labor Stabilization Pilot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14^th, 2024
Contact: LeeAnne Sanders
leeanne.sanders@rmfu.org
(720) 408-4669

(Palisade, CO) – U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack formally announced the Farm Labor Stabilization Pilot Program (FLSP) grant awards today at RMFU member Gwen Cameron’s farm in Palisade, CO. This round of grant awards for FLSP accounts to $50 million for 141 awardees including 12 in CO and NM. Goals of the voluntary program include increasing access to agricultural labor through the H-2A visa program, strengthening protections and pay for farmworkers including participation in worker-driven social responsibility programs like the Fair Food Program, and building pathways for legal immigration.

“This innovative program is a first-of-its-kind effort by USDA to incentivize producers to elevate wages and working conditions,” says Chad Franke, president of Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. “We have engaged throughout the development of this program to ensure that it will work well for both agricultural employers and farm workers. We are thrilled that many of our members were successful in their applications and we are eager to support them through our Employer Services and Workforce Support program.”