California Invests $11 Million to Expand Career Opportunities for Farmworkers

NR No. 25-14
Contact: Loree Levy/Greg Lawson
916-654-9029
mediainquiries@edd.ca.gov

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What You Need to Know: California’s farmworkers are at the heart of its $49 billion agriculture industry. The State is investing $11 million to prepare farmworkers to advance in the industry and obtain good-quality jobs with family-sustaining wages.

SACRAMENTO — The Employment Development Department (EDD) announced today it has awarded $10 million as part of the Farmworker Advancement Program to 12 California based organizations for creating programs that help farmworkers adjust to the ever-changing demands of the farming industry. An additional $1 million has been awarded to Jobs for the Future to assist these organizations in the development and rollout of their programs.

"We’re helping to increase equity and improve outcomes for farmworkers in a rapidly changing industry," said EDD Director Nancy Farias. "This investment builds the necessary skills to prepare farmworkers for upward mobility and higher wages.”

The Farmworker Advancement Program is a California Jobs First initiative. In partnership with its 13 economic regions, the State is investing in job creation, industrial strategy, and economic development initiatives to create a greener and more equitable economy that works for everyone.

The awarded organizations will develop programs that address farmworkers’ unique needs while adapting to ongoing changes in the agriculture industry. These programs will provide hands-on training in industry-specific skills, including climate-smart technologies and techniques that leave our land, waters, and climate in better shape for the future. Participants will also receive essential training in English, math, and digital literacy. By equipping workers with these skills, the programs aim to enhance job stability through career advancement, which can empower farmworkers and strengthen California’s agricultural workforce.

_{Photo courtesy of the Center for Employment Training}

Technical Assistance and Developmental Evaluation

An additional $1 million has been awarded to Jobs for the Future to strengthen collaboration among the 12 awardees, share best practices, and support program development and implementation. This added layer of support will help ensure programs are effective, sustainable, and aligned with industry needs—ultimately improving outcomes for farmworkers and their communities.

Information about the funding and the specific awardees appears further below.

_{Photo courtesy of Jobs for the Future: The first in-person meeting of the community of practice for the Farmworkers Advancement Program (2023-24), held in Sacramento in October 2024.}

What They’re Saying:

Stewart Knox, Secretary, California Labor & Workforce Development Agency: “This work supports grantees to provide critical skills training to farmworkers through innovative programming. Agriculture is essential to California’s economy and is evolving in response to climate change and technological advancements. We are investing to build pathways for the current workforce to fill the jobs of tomorrow whether in agriculture or other industries.”

Parina Parikh, Associate Vice President, Jobs for the Future: “Jobs For the Future is honored to have the opportunity to build on the successes and lessons from our role as the technical assistance and developmental evaluation provider for the first round of FAP grant. With this new round of funding, we are excited to facilitate deeper learning, collaboration, and innovation across the entire ecosystem of stakeholders committed to improving opportunities for California’s farmworker communities.”

Peter O'Driscoll, Executive Director, Equitable Food Initiative: "Equitable Food Initiative is delighted that EDD's Farmworker Advancement Program will support our work to facilitate a multistakeholder process for documenting and credentialing essential agricultural skills. The timing of the award is perfect as we will bring together experts, farmworkers, state agencies, and employers to collaborate in designing a credentialing system—and the grant will accelerate that process.”

Jorge De Nava Jr., Executive Director, Central Valley Opportunity Center, Inc.: “The Central Valley Opportunity Center, Inc. is excited to receive support from the State of California to expand our outreach, vocational training services to farmworkers, growers, and rural communities within the Central Valley. Working with our community partners and local growers we will prepare farmworkers for emerging skilled occupations within our abundant agriculture industry.”

Mihai Patru, Chief Executive Officer, Caravanserai: "Through the Farmworkers Advancement Program, we are committed to continue equipping Inland Empire farmworkers with the skills, resources, and support they need to build sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families. This grant allows us to expand our impact, ensuring that more individuals in the agricultural sector can achieve financial independence and long-term stability.”

Arcenio Lopez, Executive Director, Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP): "MICOP estimates that at least 60% of California's current agricultural workforce is made up of indigenous workers. This project will support MICOP's MILPA initiative, which aims to develop an upskilling curriculum for farmworkers. The curriculum will provide training on cooperative farming models and equip Indigenous farmworkers with the foundational knowledge needed to become farm owners, empowering them with essential agricultural business skills."

Dr. Robert Pimentel, Chancellor, West Hills Community College District: "The Farmworker Advancement Program is a vital initiative that supports individuals in agricultural communities by providing essential training in high-demand fields such as truck driving, healthcare, cybersecurity, and childcare. By offering key resources like supportive services and job placement assistance, this program will create new opportunities for farmworkers and their families to gain valuable skills, complete certificate or degree programs, and secure meaningful employment." 

Kevin Vaughn, PH.D., Dean, University of California Riverside Extension: “We are thrilled to receive funding from California EDD to support this project. Data shows that there is a dire need for childcare workers with formal training in rural Southern California. This grant enables us to provide that formal training to migrant farmworkers in English as a Second Language and Early Childhood Education.”

Chris Faucher, Director, Five Keys Agricultural Programs: "Throughout their participation in the Five Keys Ecological Agriculture Training Program, participants will have the opportunity to develop a deeper sense of themselves within the context of their personal and professional goals and may be inspired to explore additional pathways within or beyond the agricultural industry."

Ruben Solorio, Executive Director, Center for Employment Training: “On behalf of the Center for Employment Training, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude for the Farmworker Advancement Program grant. This support is invaluable in allowing us to continue and expand our mission to empower farmworker communities in California. The current grant has already had a profound impact in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, offering essential tuition assistance, outreach specialists, and a new outreach vehicle equipped with computers, solar power, Wi-Fi, and other resources to further our initiatives.”

The following awardees were chosen through a competitive application and evaluation process.

Farmworker Advancement Program: 2024-25 Program Year Awardees

Farmworker Advancement Program Technical Assistance and Developmental Evaluation: 2024-25 Program Year Awardee

 These grants are 100 percent federally funded by two separate grant awards totaling $9,999,054.89 and $1,000,000, respectively, from the U.S. Department of Labor.