Speech #910079041

Specifically. title IIIB programs concern an occupational group. rather than an age group or geographic community. and this occupational group of farmworkers is one whose skills are rapidly being mechanized out of existence. Recent Federal Government reports indicate that by 1980 nonfarm jobs must be found for 40 percent of the current farmlabor work force. Title IIIB programs have. and quite appropriately I think. addressed themselves not only to the immediate needs of migrant and seasonal farmworkers but to the problems of massive job displacement that are plaguing in this work force. To accomplish the antipoverty goals with this occupational group. programs have taken into account seasons of farm labor employment and unemployment as well as the movement pattern of migrants. Programs have often been statewide or interstate in order to reach the target population. Presently there are four major types of programs operated under title IIIB. First. to meet the problems of increasing job displacement. OEO is making an effort to establish reemployment and adjustment assistance programs to capitalize on the expertise of public agencies and private industries in the effort to find permanent employment for displaced farmworkers. Second. to provide community stability for farmworkers through improved employment opportunities. there are migrant education and training programs such as the high school equivalency program. basic education and training programs. and parttime education. Third. housing needs of migrant and seasonal farmworkers are addressed by OEOfunded programs such as selfhelp housing. and services that assist farmworkers in gaining maximum participation in other Federal housing programs. Fourth. there are instream migrant assistance programs which are intended to serve the dual function of providing immediate services to migrants .while they are within the migrant stream. and of promoting quality and interstate cooperation among OEOfunded migrant programs. Daycare centers. service centers. temporary housing. and supportive services such as training and technical assistance are included in these categories. In proposing this increased authorization for these important programs. it is my hope that a substantial portion of any increased funds would be devoted to those programs that aid the migrant farmworker in settling out of the migrant stream. Specifically. programs for migrant reemployment and adjustment assistance through training. placement. and resettlement assistance. as well as private incentives for manpower development. offer real hope to migrant and seasonal farmworkers facing the threat of further mechanization and unemployment. This approach in particular would go far toward helping migrant workers establish themselves in a community and removes themselves and their families from the grips of poverty. Migrant workers have been ignored or excluded by too many Government programs for too long. An important beginning toward repsonsiveness to migratory labor programs has occurred under title IIIB of EOA. But only about 212.000 of the estimated 1.000.000 migrant farmworks and their familiesbarely 20 percentare presently served by title IIIB programs. Most disturbingly. only 33.600. or less than 4 percent. are served by programs designed to assist the migrant farmworker and his family settle out of the stream. This is not enough. I believe it is time to substantially increase the funding of this program.