{"id":14370,"date":"2026-04-13T19:29:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T19:29:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saf-unite.org\/?p=14370"},"modified":"2026-04-13T19:29:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T19:29:46","slug":"farmworkers-are-environmental-stewards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saf-unite.org\/es\/farmworkers-are-environmental-stewards\/","title":{"rendered":"Farmworkers are Environmental Stewards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Jacey Anderson, SAF Board Member<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thousands of years ago, humans began planting seeds, forever changing our relationship to the land. Today, the people who sustain that relationship\u2014farmworkers\u2014are rarely recognized as environmental stewards. This disconnect isn\u2019t accidental. It reflects a deeper contradiction at the heart of modern environmentalism embedded in a capitalistic society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Farmworkers aren\u2019t just laborers within environmental systems\u2014they are environmental experts through lived, embodied knowledge. Many have crossed different borders and biomes. They read soil, weather, pests, crop cycles; they experience elemental and chemical exposure firsthand; they know what \u201csustainable\u201d actually feels like on the body. Yet they are often excluded from environmental recognition and leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Environmentalism of the \u201cglobal west\u201d was a product of the early twentieth century United States and has historically focused on resource conservation, and what scholars call \u201cearly environmentalism\u201d was connected to patriotism and national pride. However, \u201cenvironmentalism of the poor,\u201d connects concern for the environment with concern for social justice. Indeed, environmental movements of the so-called \u201cglobal south\u201d have taught us that in order to be successful\u2013or even exist\u2013they must also directly address human rights.SAF is doing the work of redefining environmentalism. Part of its mission is, \u201cimprove conditions for farmworkers, and build diverse coalitions working for social change.\u201d Working with farmworkers, students, and allies to improve the conditions of farmworkers will, by default, improve the condition of the non-human environment. By recognizing farmworkers as knowledge producers and including them in leadership and decision-making, SAF addresses labor and environmental conditions together. This is an exemplary way of organizing in the midst of the climate crisis.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Jacey Anderson, SAF Board Member Thousands of years ago, humans began planting seeds, forever changing our relationship to the land. Today, the people who sustain that relationship\u2014farmworkers\u2014are rarely recognized... [Read more]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[96],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-field-notes","entry","has-post-thumbnail"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t