Speech #870008287

I am told. has previously contacted the Farm Bureau Federationand informed him that the total number of migratory farm workers was far fewer than 3 million and even provided him with references to verify the facts. It is interesting to note at this point that page 111 of the Farm Labor Fact Book. published by the Department of Labor. and cited in a press release sent out by the Farm Bureau group over the signature of then Secretary of Labor Mitchell. reports: Approximately 400.000 different individuals at some time of the year engage in migratory farm work. This figure excludes some 150.000 dependents who travel with the migrant workers. and a roughly equivalent number who remain in the home base areas. More recent and detailed data is reported monthly by the U.S. Department of Labor in Farm Labor Market Developments in which monthly estimates of the estimated employment and origin are reported. Data for the latest 12of seasonal hired agricultural workers month period are as follows: Employment of seasonal farmworkers [In thousands] Total Foreign Domestic workers seasonal (mostly farm labor Mexican employment workers) Total Local Migrant 1959November -------------------------- 823 185 638 493 145 December -------------------------- 399 97 302 248 54 1960January ---------------------------- 343 77 265 233 42 February --------------------------- 328 72 256 218 38 March- ---------------------------- 309 71 238 205 34 April ------------------------------- 417 81 336 294 52 May ------------------------------- 766 109 657 543 114 June ------------------------------- 1. 225 137 1.089 867 222 July ------------------------------- 1.200 123 1.077 784 293 August ---------------------------- 1.112 133 979 716 263 September ------------------------- 1.282 184 1.099 848 251 October ---------------------------- 1.316 2361 1.0791 823 256 Now please note that. although there might have been a few thousand more persons looking for workbut not many more than that because July is a peak harvest month in most areas during which almost all farmers who grow crops have a high requirement of laborthe greatest number of domestic migratory workers employed in any month during the 12month period shown in the foregoing table. was 293.000 in July 1960. Assuredly this is a sizable difference from the 2 to 3 millions cited by Mr. Murrow.