NAWS at 30

The National Agricultural Worker Survey (NAWS) began to interview workers employed on crop farms in calendar year 1988, and has interviewed over 70,000 workers in the past three decades.

This conference examines NAWS and other farm labor data.  The first presentations review three decades of NAWS data, and compare recent NAWS data to USDA Census of Agriculture and other farm labor data.  NAWS Panel 1 reviews research using NAWS data to understand farm worker employment and earnings, while NAWS Panel 2 focuses on the use of NAWS data to understand farm worker health and use of public services. The data user panel highlights how growers and advocates use NAWS data.

All presenters are asked to consider (1) whether the NAWS methodology of multi-stage sampling to account for seasonal and regional fluctuations in farm employment or other aspects of the survey’s design need to be modified, and (2) whether the NAWS questionnaire should be modified to collect better or additional data.

The report of the conference will include recommendations to the US Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) on the NAWS methodology and questionnaire, which will be discussed during a half-day seminar and Webinar at ETA.

We are grateful for the support of ETA and the UC Ag Issues Center and the Gifford Center.  For further information, contact Philip Martin, plmartin@ucdavis.edu

Agenda can be found here.