Agriculture is Pennsylvania’s single largest industry and migrant farm workers constitute a significant portion its labor force. Their contributions harvesting and processing farm crops have a positive economic impact on the farms and communities where they work and live. Each year approximately 45,000 to 50,000 migrant farm workers enter Pennsylvania to assist in harvesting the commonwealth’s fruit, vegetable, and mushroom crops (Rural Opportunities, Inc., 2002). According to the Agricultural Statistics Service, 25% of the land in the state is farmland. Pennsylvania ranks fifth nationally in apple production, fourth in grape production, fifth in pear production, fourth in peach production, sixth in tart cherries, and ninth in sweet cherries production. In 2000, Pennsylvania produced 475 million pounds of apples; 310 million of those were produced in Adams County, and had an estimated value of approximately $35 million. (Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics, 2001) Moreover, Pennsylvania growers supplied 53% of all mushrooms grown in the United States. Sales of Pennsylvania mushrooms accounted for 49 % of the nation’s fresh market sales and 71 % of processing sales (Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics, 2001).

It is tragically ironic that the efforts of migrant farm workers allow the U.S. population access to high quality and affordable foods while they often suffer from food insecurity, malnutrition, poor health status, poverty, low job security, and often live and work in unsafe and unsanitary conditions (Slesinger, 1992 ). These poor living and work conditions contribute to a myriad of health, mental health, and social and behavioral problems that include chronic health conditions (Slesinger, 1992; Slesinger, Christenson, & Cautley, 1986; Slesinger & Ofstead, 1993) substance abuse (Alaniz, 1994), domestic violence (Van Hightower & Gordon, 1999; Martin & Gordon, 1995; Tan, Ray, et al., 1991), and other co-morbid mental health problems (Alderete, Vega, et al., 2000; Kupersmidt & Martin, 1997). The families and children of migrant farm workers are not immune to these problems and often suffer from child abuse and neglect, poor physical and mental health, and limited educational opportunities (Belton, 2000; Elder et al, 2000; Kupersmidt & Martin, 1997; Larson et al., 1987; Larson et al., 1990; Lee et al., 1990; Martinez & Gingras, 1996; Slesinger & Cautley, 1986).