Lessons Learned: Geographic Information Systems and Farmworkers in the Lake States
2005
Agencies serving the estimated 42,000 to 137,000 migrant and seasonal
farmworkers in the Lake States (Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota) face distinct
challenges, including inadequate access to farmworker data to address their needs. This
project developed and evaluated a geographical information system (GIS) database for
compiling and displaying existing farmworker data in the Lake States. A three-step study was
conducted in the Lake States: (1) a preliminary resource and needs assessment was conducted
among agencies serving farmworkers, (2) a GIS product was created using data available
from state agencies, and (3) the GIS product was evaluated by an advisory board of qualified
occupational health and safety representatives for appropriateness, applications, and ease
of use. Agencies participated by sharing their available farmworker data. The GIS product
consisted of a CD-ROM with data displayed in a graphic format and downloadable
spreadsheet files consolidated by county demographic, crop, housing, and migrant health
clinic information. Evaluators of the GIS product found it to be an accessible, unique
clearinghouse for farmworker-related data. The GIS product can become a valuable tool for
agencies serving farmworkers and those researching farmworker-related issues. Agencies
and health professionals require useful and comprehensive databases to track and serve
farmworkers, and a multi-agency partnership using GIS technology could provide this
capability. Further research is required with improved definitions and resources to apply the
GIS product.
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