The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs: Bush’s 2009 Budget Slams the Door of Opportunity On America’s Farmworkers
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2008
2:34 PM
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CONTACT: The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
David Strauss, 202.828.6006 ext. 101 / strauss@afop.org
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Bush’s 2009 Budget Slams the Door of Opportunity On America’s Farmworkers
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WASHINGTON - February 4 - For the seventh consecutive year, President George W.
Bush seeks to eliminate the federal job-training program that helps
America’s migrant and seasonal farmworkers break the cycle of poverty.
The Bush administration’s assertions that the program duplicates other
federal programs and is insufficiently focused on employment and
training are not supported by the National Farmworker Jobs Program’s
(NFJP) impressive achievements during President Bush’s term in office.
The National Farmworker Jobs Program is one of the U.S. Department of
Labor’s most effective job-training programs. Since Program Year 2001,
more than 38,200 members of the farmworker community have obtained
permanent jobs with significant wage gains because Congress has
maintained this program. Almost 80 percent retained their jobs during
the six months after placement and they enjoyed average annual wage
gains of $10,279.
Furthermore, the NFJP is strongly focused on employment and training:
83 percent of its resources are dedicated to training farmworkers and
finding them good jobs. Despite being effectively level-funded for the
past decade, the NFJP continues to produce excellent results year
after year.
“No other Department of Labor program provides job training and
educational assistance to migrant and seasonal farmworkers,” said
David Strauss, executive director of the Association of Farmworker
Opportunity Programs. “Congressional support for this effort enables
thousands of America’s farmworkers to escape poverty and provide a
better life for their families.”
The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs, a Washington-based
farmworker advocacy group, urges Congress to maintain and expand the
National Farmworker Jobs Program in the FY 2009 budget. Additional
information about the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs’ advocacy work on behalf of farmworkers can be found at http://www.afop.org.
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