Farmworkers in Iowa and beyond deserve thanks, not blame

Recently, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds attributed migrants crossing the United States and Mexico border with the increase in COVID-19 cases in Iowa.

She was wrong.

The truth: More than 1,000 farmworkers have been vaccinated after arriving in Iowa this summer to help do the work that puts food on Iowa family’s plates. Many farmworkers arrived already vaccinated.

In 2020, over 3,000 farmworkers were tested before entering the fields to ensure the workforce stayed healthy. Sick workers were immediately quarantined and isolated to protect the overall population.

The vaccinations and testing were coordinated by Proteus, Inc., a multi-state non-profit based in Des Moines that provides healthcare and educational services to farmworkers.

As the CEO of Proteus, Inc., I was disheartened to see leaders wrongly place blame on these vulnerable individuals who help support our agricultural economy. In 2020, Iowa needed a record number of 4,000 H-2A visa workers to complete the work and meet the demands of the agricultural growers and producers.

Proteus health care workers were on the front line of COVID-19 and because of their efforts, zero farmworkers died as a result of the virus in 2020. The Centers for Disease Control recognized Proteus and asked to document the procedures for other organizations to use as a best practice.

“Without Proteus going to farmworkers where they work and live, and providing access to COVID-19 testing, primary care and vaccines, at minimum certain sectors of the Iowa agricultural system may have been in peril,” said Claudia Corwin, a staff physician at the University of Iowa College of Medicine and College of Public Health.

“Not only did Proteus save the lives of essential farmworkers, they supported the Iowa agricultural economy in a positive way by allowing farmworkers to continue to work safely,” Corwin said.

Migrant farmworkers play a significant role in the Iowa agricultural economy and across the world. They are essential workers that impact each one of our lives by helping to put food on our tables every single day. Around 73 percent of agricultural workers in the United States are immigrant farmworkers.

Farmworkers are some of the most hard-working people I have had the pleasure of working with. They sometimes work sunrise to sunset, seven days a week and in the most extreme weather conditions.

If we were concerned about migrants and COVID-19, we should have provided greater access to vaccines at the border or upon arrival, rather than sending troopers to the border costing Iowans almost $300,000.

Migrant farmworkers want to make a living to support their families just like everyone else. They deserve respect, appreciation, equity, and to be celebrated by our leaders; not scapegoated.

Daniel Zinnel, EdD, is the CEO of Proteus, Inc.