Agriculture Provides Gateway to Achieve American Dream
By Stephanie Metzinger T he American Dream, the idea that anyone, regardless of social class or location of birth, can attain prosperity through perseverance and hard work, has inspired the migration of millions of people from around the world to the United States. Though the term was not officially coined until it appeared in James Truslow Adams’ best-selling novel, “Epic of America,” in 1931, the concept has been deeply rooted in our nation’s history since before its inception, and has formed the foundation of its success. This dream is achievable largely through the opportunities offered by America’s employers, in particular, the agriculture industry. A recent Feeding the Economy study revealed that 22.8 million of all U.S. jobs are directly related to food and agriculture, representing approximately 15 percent of all U.S. employment. Even more significantly, agriculture provides jobs
and opportunities for immigrants to take the first step on the American Economic Ladder. These immigrants travel from Mexico and other countries looking for higher- paying opportunities that will allow them to utilize their skills while building a secure future for their families. According to a study conducted by the University of California, a worker paid on a piece-rate basis could earn up to $45 per hour—an amount well above wages available in Mexico and elsewhere around the world. The research also showed that the fastest worker in a crew was capable of four to eight times the performance of the slowest, demonstrating that hard work results in higher wages and upward mobility. In addition to providing employment, many farms take it one step further to enrich the lives of their employees. Western Growers recently released its 2019 Professional Compensation & HR
Practices Survey, which compiles and analyzes exclusive data on base pay, incentive pay, merit increases and health plan coverages for the California and Arizona produce industry. The results revealed that of the WG members who participated in the survey: • 93% offer a health plan coverage • 77% offer a 401(K) retirement plan to field workers • 61% offer an annual bonus plan to field workers This data demonstrates that agriculture cares for its people, provides opportunities for immigrant families and sustains rural communities. Farmers are continually developing programs that enrich the lives of all their employees—everyone from the field to the office. The following are just a few of the countless initiatives launched by WG members to build a positive company culture for their workers:
Tanimura & Antle created the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, becoming first grower-shipper in U.S. history to share company ownership with all qualified, domestic employees.
10 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2019
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online