Like fair-trade and sustainable, the word "organic"; evokes a sense of social consciousness and fair play, but these words are not synonymous. The organic label certifies how food is grown; it does not denote fair labor practices.
Three to five million migrant farm workers travel through America, hoeing the fields, and picking our fruits and vegetables. For many, minimum wage is not paid. Overtime is not paid. Hours are long and the work strenuous. With average annual earnings of $10,000.00, poverty is a way of life.
According to the National Center for Farmworker’s Health, between 180,000 and 300,000 children work in agriculture, the only industry that employs children under the age of 16. The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the legal age limit as 12, though some exemptions allow children as young as 10 or 11 to work and employers can allow children to work longer hours than those employed in other industries. It is estimated that 100,000 children suffer agriculture related injuries each year.
If we, as Americans, choose to purchase free-trade products from other countries, it is time we create a label that ensures our own workers are afforded the same protections.