Martin Chavez receives a 2024 Scholarship supported by TIAA and a Coalition of Californian Investors, which he will use to study one of the most pressing issues affecting the agricultural industry - workforce shortages.
Martin is employed by one of California's largest farm labour contractors, with over 3,500 employees meeting the needs of growers in the San Joaquin Valley, one of the most productive areas for agriculture in the state. In addition, he assists a sister company in sales and marketing of field essentials such as PPE supplies, gloves, tools and tree rope.
"I would like to gain more perspective and understanding of how we in California and the USA, can resolve some of the structural workplace issues impacting California agriculture," says Martin. "My company and the agriculture sector as a whole, need a steady, stable, timely and sufficient workforce. I believe that the experience of visiting other countries, learning and experiencing how they deal with this issue will enhance our ability and knowledge of how to best present solutions to this critical challenge."
Martin would like to visit other countries which have effective foreign worker programs such as Canada, and the European Union, specifically Spain and France. Creating an organized path to employment for foreign workers will significantly reduce the political controversy, poor treatment of undocumented workers and the social upheaval caused by their illegal status. They can only enhance the productivity of agriculture in general.
