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| SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS The survey results among nursery and greenhouse growers in the northern Gulf of Mexico states revealed some insights into labor hiring decisions in the industry, and presented the status of working conditions of workers, their training needs, recruitment and retention. More than 70% of all the workers hired by the participating nurseries and greenhouses had less than or completed high school education. Nursery only operations tend to hire more workers with college education. Large nurseries or greenhouses tend to hire more workers with less than high school education. More workers of Caucasian origin were employed by greenhouse only operations and small and medium-sized nurseries and greenhouses. Large nurseries or greenhouses tend to hire more workers of Hispanic origin. Although there were variations from grower to grower, the industry peak season covered the months starting in February and ending in May. During peak months, working hours averaged 9.1 hr/day or 51.5 hr/wk and 7.1 hr/day or 36.1 hr/wk during slack months. The average wage rate reported by nurseries and greenhouses was $7.89/hr. Most of the workers have access to rest and lounging areas, sanitation facilities, and drinking water. Limited housing benefits, dental and medical insurance, and retirement benefits were provided by nurseries and greenhouses to their workers. Nurseries and greenhouses provided basic horticultural training to 38% of their new workers averaging 7 days/nursery. The majority of workers were employed in the same nursery or greenhouse during the last two years. Less than one third of the workers were sent to formal chemical and pesticide application training while almost all of them were aware of the dangers associated with exposure to chemicals and pesticides. Although about a third of the workers were handling chemicals and pesticides, very few were reported to have been involved in chemical or pesticide related injuries or illness. Almost all of the workers handling chemicals or pesticides were equipped with personal protective equipment. The number of work-related injuries reported by nurseries and greenhouses averaged less than one per nursery involving about 13 lost manhours. The major labor applications included tasks associated with harvesting and grading, general maintenance, pot and tray filling, sticking cuttings and planting seed, fertilizer and pesticide application, and irrigation application and management. |
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Posadas, Benedict C., Patricia R. Knight, Christine H. Coker, Randal Y. Coker, Scott A. Langlois, and C. David Veal. 2005. Socio-economic Characteristics of Horticulture Firms in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the Southern Nursery Association Research Conference, 50: 348-350. Posadas, Benedict C., Patricia R. Knight, Christine H. Coker, Randal Y. Coker, and Scott A. Langlois. 2009. Socioeconomic Characteristics of Workers and Working Conditions in Nurseries and Greenhouses in the Northern Gulf of Mexico States. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Bulletin 1182, Mississippi State, Mississippi. |
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