The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) has expressed frustration over allegations of misuse of USDA’s Farm and Food Worker Relief (FFWR) Grant Program. The program is meant to provide relief payments to farmworkers as a result of challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, NCAE notified USDA about actions taken by the United Farm Workers (UFW) in New York, where workers were allegedly required to sign union cards to receive FFWR payments. Similar allegations have since been reported in California, with farmworkers claiming deception by UFW organizers.
“The purpose of the FFWR grant was to help farmworkers with pandemic-related health and safety costs, not to pad the pockets of UFW. USDA entrusted UFW Foundation with almost $98 million in funding to issue FFWR payments to farmworkers,” President and CEO of NCAE, Michael Marsh said in a press release. NCAE is urging Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and USDA’s Office of Inspector General to investigate the allegations “to ensure those remaining funds reach workers regardless of their union affiliation and without being tricked into joining the UFW.”
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Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West