Six years ago, Illinois farmer John Ackerman didn't hire any contract workers at all. He enjoys mentoring young people, but says it's felt harder lately to justify hiring inexperienced workers when contract workers do the same hard, physical jobs faster and better. Climate change affects all farm workers, but advocates and researchers say this is a reason to focus particularly on these workers. The USDA data showed an uptick in the number of farms using migrant labor, both within farms that already hired contract workers and overall. He’s tried reaching out H-2A workers on nearby farms, but says their supervisors won’t let them talk to him.

---

Persons: John Ackerman didn't, Ackerman, it's, Alexis Guild, Rebecca Young, ”, Jennifer Vanos, Abigail Kerfoot, Luis Jimenez, farmworkers, Jimenez, He’s, won’t, “, Jed Clark, he's, Stephanie McBath, ” McBath, “ it’s, ” Bruce Cline, Scott Kuegel, ” Jimenez, Dorany Pineda, Joshua A, Bickel, Melina Walling Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, Farmworker, Arizona State University, Centro de, Alianza Agrícola, “, National Association of State, of Agriculture, Associated Press Locations: Illinois, U.S, New York, North Carolina, Kentucky, Crofton , Kentucky, Owensboro, AP.org