LOS ANGELES — As worsening drought conditions in California and the West take a heavy economic toll on agriculture, state legislators are considering a plan to pay farmworkers $1,000 a month to help them cover the cost of necessities.
The bill is meant to assist farmworkers who have fewer crops to tend as climate change limits the window for each growing season and cuts the Golden State's water supply.
Introduced this month by state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, Senate Bill 1066 would establish the California Farmworkers Drought Resilience Pilot Project. Under the $20-million program, eligible workers would receive a $1,000 stipend for three years. It's unclear how many farmworkers would qualify.
