Two Florida Growers to Pass Penny to Farmworkers

June 2008 – Alderman Farms and Lady Moon Farms have reached agreements with Whole Foods Market to fully implement the principles of the Campaign for Fair Food, effectively breaking the stalemate established nearly two seasons ago when the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange threatened to fine any of its members that sold tomatoes under the terms of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers' agreements.  At that time, two Florida growers who had been passing on the penny-per-pound increase under the Taco Bell agreement ceased doing so.

Farmworkers harvest tomatoes in Florida. Photo courtesy of CIW

As Lucas Benitez of the CIW explained, "The Campaign for Fair Food is bearing fruit. For nearly two seasons, the Campaign’s promise of fair wages for Florida's farmworkers has been held hostage by the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange. Today, however, the higher wages and fairer conditions we have fought for will begin to reach the workers who so clearly deserve them, thanks to the leadership of Whole Foods Market and the forward thinking growers at Alderman Farms and Lady Moon Farms. Without a doubt, the food market is changing, and for the better. Sustainability, social as well as environmental, is the way of the future. Together we — as farmworkers, farmers and buyers — are forging a path toward that better future."

Karen Christensen of Whole Foods Market — the first supermarket to sign an agreement with the CIW — noted, “Lady Moon and Alderman Farms are examples of Florida growers that Whole Foods Market is proud to support. These farms are long term partners of Whole Foods Market and we look forward to continued growth together."  

For more details, read the joint CIW-Whole Foods press release as well as statements from Senators Durbin and Sanders.

CIW and Bon Appétit Forge Agreement!

April 2009 – The CIW and sustainable foodservice leader Bon Appétit Management Company have forged a new model for fair labor standards in Florida's tomato fields! The new model for advancing farmworkers’ rights includes a new “minimum fair wage” provision, new practices to protect against wage fraud, worker empowerment, worker safety and third-party monitoring that also involves farmworkers. Learn more.

Gov. Crist Supports the CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food

Governor Charlie Crist of Florida.

March 2009 – In a letter to the CIW, Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida committed himself to advancing farmworker human rights through the CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food encouraging members of the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange to ensure the wage increase from major tomato buyers reaches the farmworkers. Read Gov. Crist’s public letter to the CIW.

Read the commendation to Gov. Crist from the Rev. Noelle Damico of the PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food.

CIW meets with Florida Gov: “sincere, productive”

Julia Perkins, CIW; Gerardo Reyes-Chavez, CIW; Lucas Benitez, CIW; Gov. Charlie Crist; Florida's Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp; Greg Asbed, CIW, Laura Germino, CIW in the Governor's office in Tallahassee. Photo courtesy of CIW.

March 2009 – On Wednesday, March 25, representatives of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers met with Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida about modern-day slavery in the fields and the systemic poverty and abuses faced by farmworkers in Florida agriculture.

Following the meeting, Gov. Crist told the press “I was deeply moved by what they had to say and we want to help them as much as we possibly can." Gov. Crist will release a public statement soon. 

Gerardo Reyes Chaves of the CIW characterized the meeting as “sincere, productive, and hopefully the beginning of the end of modern-day slavery in Florida.” Read a full report.

Thank you to everyone who signed the open letter to Gov. Crist which garnered more than 39,000 signatures and was, together with the press conference in Tallahassee, critical for making this meeting happen. Stay tuned to the Fair Food Web site and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers site to follow developments.

PC(USA) Keynote at National Anti-Slavery Conference

March 2009 – The Freedom Network U.S.A., a premier national network of anti-slavery organizations who are expert in social service and legal support for survivors of modern-day slavery, held their eighth annual conference in Dallas, Texas. The Rev. Noelle Damico of the PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food delivered the keynote address. The audience was packed with U.S. Department of Justice officials, service providers, investigators and law enforcement. Members of Grace Presbytery also attended. The address discusses what constitutes a “human rights based approach” to ending modern-day slavery and how it enables us to address the root causes of modern-day slavery together. Download the keynote address.

Gov. Crist Agrees to Meet with CIW

At the press conference, farmworkers from CIW re-enact the most recent case of slavery where workers were beaten, chained and locked in a cargo box truck. Photo courtesy of Jacque-Jean Tiziou.

March 2009 – Thanks to a dramatic press conference in which the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and their allies called upon Florida'a Governor Crist to meet with the CIW to address modern-day slavery in the fields and more than 39,000 signatures on letters (more keep coming in!) to the governor from people across Florida and the nation, the governor has agreed to meet with the CIW. The meeting is set for March 25. For full coverage of the press conference including a photo essay and major media reports, please visit the Coalition of Immokalee Workers Web site.

The press conference on March 9 was populated with Tallahassee-based Presbyterians, many of whom had supported the CIW for years, hosting the farmworkers on truth tours and participating in campaigns. One of these was the Rev. Brant Copeland, pastor of First Presbyterian Church. He preached a powerful sermon on the following Sunday, called "Change of Business," weaving together the church's work with the CIW and Jesus' political act of turning over the money-changers' tables in the Temple.

CIW, PC(USA) to Gov. Crist: Meet with CIW

A member of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers stands on the steps of the Florida capitol building. Photo courtesy of Jean-Jacques Tiziou.

March 2009 – On Monday, March 9th, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers held a vivid press conference on the steps of the capitol building in Tallahassee, where farmworkers and their allies from the religious, human rights and student communities called on the Florida Governor to meet with the CIW.  Farmworkers dramatically and silently re-enacted a case of slavery during the press conference.  And more than 38,000 signatures on letters to Gov. Crist calling him to meet with the CIW were delivered.  The Rev. Noelle Damico spoke on behalf of the General Assembly at the event.  Members and clergy from Presbyterian churches in Tallahassee hosted the CIW for worship and educational forums during the weekend and attended the press conference.

A more complete story on the event will be forthcoming.  In the meantime, visit the Coalition of Immokalee Workers Web site for initial photos and media coverage.  And check out the Presbyterian News Service article “Coalition of Immokalee Workers to submit petition signed by faith community to Florida governor”.

Picking tomatoes in Immokalee. Photo by Scott Robertson

Religious Community Sign-On Letter to Gov. Crist of Florida

January 2009 – Presbyterians are invited to join people of faith across the country in calling on Gov. Crist to meet with the CIW to discuss ways to end modern-day slavery in Florida's fields and urge the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange to stop blocking improvements for farmworkers. To read the letter, sign on to the letter or get more background information visit the Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida Web site.

Two Sentenced for Slavery; PC(USA) calls on Gov. Crist to Act

A farmworker harvests tomatoes in Immokalee. Photo Courtesy of Scott Robertson.

December 2008 – On Friday, December 19, two members of the Navarette family were sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for enslaving tomato pickers in Immokalee, Florida. The crew leaders chained workers to a post and beat them repeatedly, locked them in a box truck every night and forced them to work without pay for two prominent Florida growers, Six L’s corporation and Pacific Tomato Growers. 

This human rights travesty is not without precedent. The Navarette case is the seventh case of modern-day slavery to be successfully prosecuted in recent years. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI to free workers and assist with these prosecutions. [Read more]

Tallahassee to Farmworkers: One case of slavery is not so bad

CIW, Human Rights, Religious Leaders: Slavery Must Not Be Tolerated

December 2008 – When seeking a comment from Governor Charlie Crist on the pervasiveness of prosecutions of modern-day slavery in the Florida agricultural industry, the Fort Myers News Press was referred to Mr. Terence McElroy, a spokesperson from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In an article published on Dec. 14, 2008, Mr. McElroy replied, "Of course, I say any instance is too many, and any legitimate grower certainly does not engage in that activity (slavery) but you're talking about maybe a case a year." The article chronicled recent Florida-based slavery cases which had been investigated and successfully prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice with the help of the CIW. [Read more]

Subway and CIW reach agreement

December 2008 – On December 2 Subway signed an agreement with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to improve farmworkers' wages and address human rights abuses in the fields of its Florida tomato suppliers!

CIW and Subway representatives sign agreement. Photo courtesy of CIW

The Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA), released a public statement commending Subway and the CIW saying:

Will the rest of the restaurant and grocery industry now step forward to become part of this momentous advance for human rights? The answer is not only up to the companies but to those of us who are conscious consumers as well.

As Presbyterians join Christians around the world in celebrating the season of Advent, a time when we keep watch for Christ to usher in a “new heaven and a new earth,” this agreement reminds us of our call to be a part of creating a just society. So as we commend and celebrate this moment, the Presbyterian Church renews its commitment to working with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and colleagues in the Alliance for Fair Food to ensure that the gains achieved with this agreement are finally realized throughout the retail food and agricultural industries. [Read full statement ]

The CIW's tour will continue to journey through North Carolina, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, Providence, New Haven and New York City in the coming week, however the focus will shift from Subway to the rest of the food industry. Now that Subway, the largest fast-food buyer of Florida tomatoes, has joined Yum!, McDonald's, Burger King and Whole Foods Market in working with the CIW, it's time for the rest of the grocery and fast-food corporations to join their counterparts and partner with the CIW to elevate human rights for farmworkers in their own supply chains.

We encourage Presbyterians to write letters of commendation to both Subway and the CIW.

Read the Presbyterian News Service story.

Chipotle’s reputation at stake: AFF White Paper

November 2008 – In this white paper from the Alliance for Fair Food (AFF), Chipotle’s self-proclaimed philosophy of “food with integrity” is examined in light of the company’s refusal to work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.  The PC(USA) is a founding member of the AFF and has been calling on Chipotle to work with the CIW since the spring of 2006.  Read the paper and call on Chipotle to be a true leader in the “sustainable food” world and join Whole Foods Market and other corporations in working with the CIW to end poverty wages and modern-day slavery in the fields.

• Challenging Chipocrisy — “Food With Integrity” Must Respect Farmworkers’ Human Rights.
• Take action.
• Read about CIW’s October “Chipocrisy” Tour.
• Chipotle makes 11th hour offer on eve of Tour; CIW says Chipotle plan "just not credible".

Five Plead Guilty to Enslaving Farmworkers

Photo courtesy of CIW.

September 2008 – Through the heroic and tireless efforts of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, law enforcement and the U.S. Department of Justice, another case of modern-day slavery has successfully been brought to justice.

Yesterday, at federal court in Fort Myers, Fla., farm bosses from Immokalee pleaded guilty to "numerous charges of enslaving Mexican and Guatemalan immigrants, brutalizing them and forcing them to work in farm fields." ("Five to plead guilty on charges of enslaving immigrant laborers," Fort Myers News Press, Sept. 2, 2008). [Read more]

Human Trafficking Addressed by 218th GA

Marching to end slavery in the fields. Photo courtesy of CIW.

June 2008 – The 218th General Assembly passed an overture and a resolution condemning human trafficking and modern-day slavery.  The items call on the PC(USA) to educate and activate its members on this pressing issue.  The PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food will be a part of a multi-ministry team within the GAMC that will coordinate our efforts, produce curriculum and offer opportunities for Presbyterians to take action.  Read the resolution. Read the overture.

The GA’s action was an opportunity to lift up work already underway within the ministries of Child Advocacy, MRTI, Women’s Ministry and the PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food (CFF).  This past fall, the PC(USA) CFF and the Presbytery of Long Island sponsored a successful anti-human trafficking training event, led by the Freedom Network USA Training Institute.  Read the Long Island Presbytery’s report from the training event . Contact the Rev. Noelle Damico if you’d like to host a training session in your area.

Read more about modern-day slavery in the Florida fields and how the PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food’s work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to hold retail food corporations accountable for farmworker exploitation in their supply chains is addressing these conditions.

Slavery Indictment Released as Senator Sanders Visits Immokalee

Slavery Indictment Released as Senator Sanders Visits Immokalee; Photo courtesy of CIW.

February 2008 – One day after a federal grand jury indicted six people in Immokalee for their part in what US Attorney Doug Molloy called, "Slavery, plain and simple," (Ft. Myers News Press, 1/18/08).US Senator Bernie Sanders declared:

"The headline in today’s newspaper says all that has to be said.  In the year 2008, in the United States of America, slavery exists.  Human beings are being forced to work against their will, are being beaten, are being denied their most basic freedoms.  This should not be happening in the United States in 2008.  This exploitation must end." 

The Rev. Noelle Damico met with Senator Sanders while he was in Immokalee to brief him on the PC(USA)’s ongoing work with the CIW.  Read about Senator Sanders’ visit and see a video of the 1/19/08 press conference.

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