Determining Farmworker Income
Determining farmworker income can be a challenge. To be accurate (and fair to the farmworkers), it is critical to account for variations in income over time. It can't be assumed that what the farmworker is earning today is what they earn 52 weeks a year. That is rarely the case since agriculture varies from season to season, place to place and year to year. Below are some common methods, which your health center might want to consider adopting.
Once farmworker status has been identified...
- Use the national average income for farmworkers, which is $7,500 for an individual or $10,000 for a family of four
- Use the current weekly income multiplied by a number of weeks (36 seems to be the most common).
- Use state UDS income levels to inform your policy.
- For example, in 2004, 74% of Florida Farmworkers were at or below 100% of poverty and 12% were between 100-150%
- Nationally in 2004, 72% of Farmworkers were at or below 100% of poverty and 10% were between 100-150%
Each health center board sets the policy regarding determining income for farmworkers. There are no national standards. But these recommendations are based on input from successful health centers in Florida and elsewhere. We hope you find it helpful.
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