Immigrants and the Community: Former Farmworkers

Many upstate New York communities have experienced population loss and decline in the last decade. Increasing numbers of immigrants have settled in many of these communities, which poses possible community development challenges and opportunities. As we reported earlier (Immigrants and the Community: Farmworkers with Families), a growing proportion of farmworkers with families is settling in rural communities. This trend may create both opportunities and problems for rural communities, but how can we anticipate what those might be? In an effort to understand the integration of new immigrants into rural communities, we interviewed former farmworkers and other community members in five upstate townships. A look at the experiences of former farmworkers who have resided in the community for some time can provide some valuable insights. Because each community must address these issues in its own way, this report is intended to make communities aware of changes in their populations and highlight issues they may choose to address. Description: Third in a series based on the research project "Integrating the Needs of Immigrant Workers and Rural Communities," which attempts to inform New York communities about the nature and consequences of increasing immigrant settlement