New University of Arizona study to count Arizona farmworkers
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Farm workers harvesting yellow bell peppers near Gilroy, California.
Farmworkers are an important part of the food supply chain, but there hasn’t been a targeted count of these laborers in Arizona since 2008.
The state Department of Health Services and the University of Arizona are trying to make that happen with a new study.
"(Farmworkers) have higher rates of diabetes, they also have exposure rates of pesticides; we also want to talk about the heat-related illnesses that farmworkers face and how we address those to better serve the needs of them," said lead researcher Priscila Ruedas on "Arizona Horizon."
The hope is a more accurate count will help policymakers and industry leaders better address worker needs.
