In a move hailed by workplace safety advocates and decried by California farmers, the State Assembly has passed a tougher new heat illness bill, expanding regulatory requirements and increasing fines for farmers found to be non-compliant.

The current legislation was partly inspired by news stories of poor treatment of farm workers, particularly undocumented laborers. In 2009, six immigrant farm workers died on California farms. The death of Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez in particular garnered statewide attention. Jimenez, a pregnant, 17-year-old farmworker, died after working in the sun for 9 hours. At her time of death, her core body temperature was 108 degrees.

The bill in question establishes heavy fines, up to $200,000, for farmers found to be non-compliant. In addition, the legislation would enable farmers to sue employers who violate the heat illness ordinances.

While safety advocates and farmworkers unions are praising the legislation, some farmers and politicians claim that it represents an attack on the entire agricultural industry. “Our workers are valuable to us and we fully support heat stress regulations that ensure farm worker safety and health. But this is an unnecessary bill that is just a thinly veiled ploy by a labor union trying to demonstrate its legitimacy,” said the CEO of Western Growers.

To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmloans.com.

Follow us on: Twitter

Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer