Some farmworkers rights groups in Ventura County have released a new report which calls for creating opportunities for farmworkers to become farm owners, and operators.
The report says a survey shows there’s a lot of interest in the farmworker community about moving into ownership, or being part of a farm cooperative.
But, the workers polled say they feel overwhelmed by how to make it happen. They’re concerned about issues ranging from raising the money involved to getting permits to operate a farm. Some of the ideas include creating farm cooperatives, or land trusts.
One of the proposals is an ordinance which would require owners of farmland being sold to give workers the first right of refusal to buy it. Such an ordinance might also include giving cooperatives and land trusts first shot at buying it. The report was produced by the farmers rights advocacy groups CAUSE, MICOP, and Lideres Campesinas.
