Give food production workers a seat at the table

The Dec. 30 Food article “10 ways to tune up how we roll” suggested a collaboration among all parties — government, farmers, food manufacturers and consumers — to fix our nation’s food system. The goal is a healthier diet and a healthier population. However, the article left out an important party: the farmworkers and food-processing workers who grow, harvest and process the vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, fish and other foods that we buy in grocery stores. We all want our meat and poultry to be safe and antibiotic-free to reduce the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We want our croplands managed using environmentally friendly methods. But we do not consider the health and safety of those working the land. Agricultural work is among the most dangerous occupations. Between 2003 and 2011, 5,816 U.S. agricultural workers died from work-related injuries. Each day, about 240 agricultural workers suffer serious injury. In 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that poultry- and meat-processing workers suffered severe repetitive-motion injury rates five times higher than the national average. The Grocery Manufacturers Association should collaborate with unions and workers to include worker health and safety in their labeling initiative. The health of our nation is inextricably linked with the health of our land. Food production must include best occupational health and safety practices. Let us bring farm and food-production workers into this collaboration for a healthy, sustainable food system.