Legal Aid, Equipment Upgrades, and Worker Advocacy Top List of Nisei Services
In the latest Ag Business Update, Nick Papagni speaks with Manuel Cunha, president of the Nisei Farmers League, about how the organization is helping California growers navigate a complicated labor and regulatory landscape.
“The immigration labor issue is so complicated,” Papagni noted. “What can you do for the grower?”
Cunha responded by explaining how the League supports its members through legal advocacy, in-field representation, and direct outreach. “We have an in-house counsel, a former judge, that deals with legal issues—OSHA, water, Department of Labor, state wage and hour,” Cunha said. “And we go out to the fields and packing houses to advocate for our growers and their workers.”
The League doesn’t stop there. It also leads initiatives to help growers update equipment to meet environmental standards. “We helped create the tractor trade-in program, which covers up to 80% of the cost for new, cleaner-running tractors,” Cunha said. The program, developed with industry partners like Roger Isom, is designed to improve air quality while easing the financial burden on growers.
From legal defense to clean-air farming initiatives, Cunha emphasized the League’s role in defending the rights of both growers and farm workers.
🎧 Listen to the full interview for more insights on how the Nisei Farmers League is advocating for California’s agricultural future.
Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter,” reporting for AgNet West.