The National Agricultural Workers Survey, Employment & Training Administration (ETA)

Findings from the National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) 2001 - 2002
A Demographic and Employment Profile of United States Farm Workers

Appendix B: Index of Means and Percentages of Key Variables

Note: Sum of all portions may not equal 100 percent because of rounding.

Chapter 1 Variables		Mean or Percentage
Place of Birth		100%
Mexico		75%
United States (including Puerto Rico)		23%
Central America		2%
Other Country		1%

Mexico Sending Region	States in Region	100%
Agricultural Northwest	Baja California, Sinaloa, Sonora	7%
Northwest	Chihuahua, Coahuila	2%
Northeast	Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas	8%
Core North Central	Durango, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes	4%
Core Northeast	San Luis Potosi, Queretaro, Hidalgo	8%
Pacific Central	Nayarit, Colima	3%
West Central	Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan	46%
Urban Federal District	Estado de Mexico, Mexico Distrito Federal	3%
Pacific South	Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas	11%
Gulf	Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Veracruz, Quintana Roo	9%
Ethnicity		100%
Mexican American		7%
Mexican		72%
Chicano		1%
Other Hispanic		3%
Not Hispanic or Latino		16%

Race		100%
White		41%
Black or African American		4%
American Indian / Alaskan Native / Indigenous		8%
Asian		<1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander		<1%
Other		47%

Foreign-born Workers:		100%
Years Passed Since First U.S. Arrival
<1		22%
1 - 2		11%
3 - 4		9%
5 - 9		16%
10 - 14		13%
15 +		29%

Foreign-born Workers:
Years Passed Since First U.S. Arrival, by Place of Birth
Mexico		10
Central America		5

Foreign-born Newcomers:
Share Among All Crop Workers		16%

Employment Eligibility (All Workers)		100%
Work authorized		47%
Citizens		25%
Legal permanent residents		21%
Other		1%
Unauthorized		53%

Migrant Types		100%
Settled (non migrant)		58%
Migrant		42%
Foreign-born newcomer		16%
International shuttle		13%
International follow-the-crop		2%
Domestic shuttle		6%
Domestic follow-the-crop		6%

Chapter 2 Variables	Mean or Percentage
Gender is Male	79%

Age	33

Age cohorts	100%
14 - 17	6%
18 - 19	5%
20 - 24	20%
25 - 34	30%
35 - 44	20%
45 - 54	12%
55 - 64	6%
65 +	1%

Age by Demographic Characteristics
All Crop Workers	33
Foreign-born
All Foreign-born	32

Authorized Foreign-born	40
Unauthorized Foreign-born	28

Newcomers	24
Arrived more than year ago	34

Born in Mexico	32
Born in Central American country	28

U.S.-born
All U.S.-born	36

African American	43
White	36
Hispanic	33

Family Type	100%
Married parent	45%
Married, no children	12%
Unmarried parent	6%
Single, no children	37%

Number of Children of Parent Respondents
Average	2

Number of children	100%
1	31%
2	33%
3	20%
4	10%
5	3%
6	2%
7+	1%

Cohabitation of Parent and Minor Children	100%
Parent lives with all minor children	61%
Parent lives away from all minor children	37%
Parent lives with some of minor children	2%

Crop Worker: Unity with / Separation from Nuclear Family	100%
Accompanied (lives with at least one nuclear family member)	43%
Unaccompanied (living away from all nuclear family)	57%

Among unaccompanied	100%
Single, no children	61%
Parents	31%
Married, no children	8%

Chapter 3 Variables	Mean or Percentage
Native Language	100%
Spanish	81%
English	18%
Other	2%

Education
Highest grade completed	7^th

Years of Schooling	100%
No schooling	4%
1st - 3rd grade	13%
4th - 7th grade	38%
8th - 11th grade	28%
12th grade	13%
13 + years	5%

Highest grade completed by place of birth
United States	11^th
All foreign-born	6^th

Participation in adult education in the U.S. (lifetime)	20%

Type of adult education (multiple responses)
English	10%
GED	5%
College or university	3%
Citizenship class	2%
Job training	2%
Other	1%


Ability to Speak English	100%
Not at all	44%
A little	26%
Some	6%
Well	24%

Ability to Read English	100%
Not at all	53%
A little	20%
Some	6%
Well	22%

Chapter 4 Variables	Mean or Percentage
Farm Employers
Average No. of farm employers in previous year	1.43

Number of farm employers in previous year	100%
1	72%
2	18%
3	6%
4	2%
5 +	1%

Time Employed and Not Employed in Previous Year
Activity Weeks (excluding foreign-born newcomers)
farm work	34
non farm work	5
in the United States but not working	9
outside of the United States	4

Number of Farm Workdays in Previous Year
All workers	174
All authorized workers	185
All unauthorized workers	165
Foreign-born newcomers	90

U.S. Farm Work Experience
(excluding foreign-born newcomers)
Average number of years of U.S. farm work	12

Number of years of U.S. farm work	100%
0 - 1	8%
2 - 4	24%
5 - 10	26%
11 - 20	23%
21 +	18%

Employment Plans and Expectations
Number of years planning to do farm work
Less than 1	4%
1 - 3	12%
4 - 5	5%
More than 5	6%
More than 5 and as long as able	66%
Other	7%

Crop worker believes could obtain non-farm job in one month	100%
Yes	37%
No	42%
Not sure	21%

Chapter 5 Variables	Mean or Percentage
Employer Type	100%
Employer is a grower (direct hire)	79%
Employer is a farm labor contractor	21%

Primary Crop at Current Farm Job	100%
Fruit and nut	34%
Vegetable	31%
Horticultural	18%
Field	14%
Miscellaneous	4%

Primary Task at Current Farm Job	100%
Pre-harvest	16%
Harvest	30%
Post-harvest	9%
Technical production	17%
Other	27%

How Obtained Current Farm Job	100%
Applied on own	26%
Referred by friend, relative, or fellow worker	70%
Recruited by grower, foreman, or labor contractor	3%

Years Working for Current Farm Employer
Average number of years	4

Number of years	100%
0 - 1	35%
2 - 3	28%
4 - 5	13%
6 - 7	7%
8 - 9	4%
10 +	13%

Seasonality of Current Farm Job	100%
Year-round	60%
Seasonal	25%
Not sure	15%

Hours Worked in Previous Week at
Current Farm Job	42

Basis for Pay, Current Farm Job	100%
By the hour	79%
By the piece	16%
Combination, hourly and piece	3%
Salary	2%

Hourly Wage at Current Farm Job	$7.25

Cash Bonus Given	100%
Yes	22%
No	65%
Not sure	13%

Type of Cash Bonus (when given)
(multiple responses)
Holiday bonus	51%
Incentive award	12%
Bonus contingent on employer's profits	5%
End-of-season payment	32%
Transportation stipend	1%
Other	5%

Eligible for Unemployment Insurance	100%
Yes	39%
No	54%
Not sure	8%

Covered by Workers' Compensation	100%
Yes	48%
No	20%
Not sure	31%

Covered by Health Insurance	100%
Yes	23%
No	76%

Source of Health Insurance (for those covered)	100%
Current farm employer	46%
Government	19%
Self, spouse, or family	15%
Spouse's employer	12%
Other	7%

Housing Arrangement during Current Farm Job	100%
Rents from non employer	58%
Employer provides for free	17%
Rents from employer	4%
Worker or worker's family owns	19%
Stays for free with family or friend	2%

Housing Location during Current Farm Job	100%
Off farm, non employer administered	80%
Off farm, employer administered	6%
On farm	14%

Housing Type during Current Farm Job	100%
Single family home or unit	55%
Apartment	22%
Trailer or mobile home	16%
Dormitory or barracks	3%
Duplex / conjoined multifamily structure	2%
Motel / hotel	1%

Daily Worksite Availability of
Drinking water and disposable cups	80%
Water for washing hands	95%
Toilet	93%

Mode of Transportation to Current Farm Job	100%
Drives a car	42%
Walks	8%
Rides in car with others	35%
Rides a labor bus	8%
Pays a driver "Raitero"	7%

Tools and Equipment (when they are utilized) Paid by:
Employer	84%
Worker	12%
Both	3%

Chapter 6 Variables	Mean or Percentage
Individual Income, All U.S. Sources, Previous Calendar Year
Average individual income range	$10,000 - $12,499

Individual income range	100%
$0 - $999	2%
$1,000 - $2,499	4%
$2,500 - $4,999	7%
$5,000 - $7,499	11%
$7,500 - $9,999	14%
$10,000 - $12,499	19%
$12,500 - $14,999	15%
$15,000 - $17,499	9%
$17,500 - $19,999	7%
$20,000 - $24,999	6%
$25,000 - $29,999	4%
$30,000 +	3%

Family Income, All U.S. Sources, Previous Calendar Year
Average family income range	$15,000 - $17,499

Family income range	100%
$0 - $999	2%
$1,000 - $2,499	3%
$2,500 - $4,999	5%
$5,000 - $7,499	7%
$7,500 - $9,999	11%
$10,000 - $12,499	15%
$12,500 - $14,999	13%
$15,000 - $17,499	8%
$17,500 - $19,999	9%
$20,000 - $24,999	9%
$25,000 - $29,999	7%
$30,000 +	13%

Assets Owned or Buying in the United States
(all workers, multiple responses)
Plot of land	4%
Home	17%
Mobile home	3%
Car or truck	49%

Assets Owned or Buying in a Foreign Country
(foreign-born workers, multiple responses)
Plot of land	7%
Home	43%
Mobile home	0%
Car or truck	3%

Households Receiving Payments from
Contribution-Based Programs (last two years)
Unemployment Insurance	21%
Social Security	2%
Disability Insurance	1%

Households Receiving Benefits from
Needs-Based Programs (last two years)
Medicaid	15%
Women Infants and Children (WIC)	11%
Food Stamps	8%
Public Housing	1%

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