Farmworkers

The Idaho Senate shot down a bill Thursday that would’ve given more legal protection to pesticide manufacturers.

For three years, a number of groups in Idaho have worked together to raise funds and distribute water and other supplies to farmworkers. Organizations in the region have been responding to the toll of extreme heat on those who toil outside.

A coalition of Idaho nonprofits is organizing a heat and smoke drive for a third year to buy supplies that help farmworkers stay safe in the heat and wildfire smoke.

Senators Mike Crapo and Michael Bennet were not able to reach a bipartisan agreement on Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

Unlike Oregon and Washington, Idaho does not have its own state occupational safety office; it follows federal OSHA rules. Currently, those generally require employers to provide a workplace free of hazrds that could cause death or series physical harm.

The Community Council of Idaho will be handing out long-sleeved shirts this Thursday at its annual shirt distribution event. Every year the non-profit collects shirts and gives them to farm workers to make sure they're protected from long days in the sun.

Didn't get the chance to follow the news this week? We go beyond the headlines on this edition of the Idaho Matters Reporter Roundtable.

Temperatures in the Treasure Valley are set to top 100 degrees for at least the next week and that means farmworkers continue to be at a heightened risk for heat exhaustion.

The Idaho Matters Reporter Roundtable is here to get you updated on what made news this week in Idaho, including the latest on the state’s accelerated…

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act Thursday, which would provide a path to legal status for farmworkers through…