Voice for Farm Workers Act of 2023

Voice for Farm Workers Act of 2023

This bill reauthorizes and expands the duties of the Farmworker Coordinator at the Department of Agriculture (USDA). (Part of the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, the coordinator identifies challenges faced by farmworkers and coordinates with USDA programs and other federal agencies to address the community’s needs.)

Specifically, the bill reauthorizes the position of Farmworker Coordinator through FY2029. Under the bill, the coordinator must

• assess the effectiveness of USDA farmworker outreach programs,
• develop and implement a plan to coordinate USDA farmworker outreach activities and services,
• collaborate with USDA's agencies and offices on farmworker-related programmatic and policy decisions,
• communicate to employers of farmworkers information about federal programs for employees,
• identify research priorities to inform USDA farmworker-related research activities,
• measure and analyze the outcomes of USDA farmworker programs and activities, and
• recommend new initiatives and programs to USDA. 

Further, the bill expands the coordinator's existing duties to include (1) serving as a liaison to institutions of higher education and local educational agencies, and (2) consulting with community-based nonprofit organizations on areas such as technical skills and job training programs.

The bill also directs the coordinator to hire such staff as necessary to carry out the coordinator's activities.