Community-based Health Equity Research to Practice Initiative to Increase Farm Worker and Agricultural Laborer Health, Safety, and Wellness in Virginia
Funding through Virginia Tech CALS Strategic Plan Advancement / Integrated Internal Competitive Seed Grants Program in 2023 ($75,000), this community-based research and Extension/outreach project is supported by a novel collaboration that brings together expertise and experience in food systems (VT Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation); public health (VT Center for Public Health Practice and Research); farm safety, health, and wellness (AgrAbility Virginia Program and VT Environmental Health and Safety FAST Program); economic development (VT Center for Economic and Community Engagement); historically underserved farmer outreach and extension education (Virginia State University Small Farm Outreach Program); and farm worker and agricultural laborer outreach and education (county-based Virginia Cooperative Extension offices), and legal expertise (Legal Aid Justice Center). This collaboration is the first of its kind at Virginia Tech to address concerns related to agricultural labor needs, food supply chain resiliency, the health of vulnerable populations, and the importance of farm safety and wellness for farm workers and agricultural laborers through enhanced understanding of the social and environmental vulnerabilities they face in Virginia in order to provide culturally-appropriate and community-based solutions with data-driven recommendations.