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Ag & Hort Labor Education Center
Francisco Espinoza
Program Manager
espinoza.9@osu.edu
History and Purpose: In 1996, the Farm Labor Relations Program was created through a state grant to the Ohio State University Extension to help address issues involving agricultural employers and migrant farm workers. Though a statewide program, it first focused on vegetable row crops in the high-migrant area of Sandusky County, with a steering committee of commodity representatives providing oversight and direction. Later, the project worked with greenhouse, nursery, specialty crops, tobacco, tree fruit, wine grape, landscaping and dairy operations.
Supervised by Ag Agent Ron Overmeyer, the Program moved to Bowling Green in 1997, after Ron became the ABE Center Director. In 2002, with an ever-increasing Hispanic workforce, and with Texas and Florida migrants increasingly giving way to immigrants from Mexico and Central and South America, the Program staff and stakeholders conducted a needs assessment which adjusted program goals to better reflect these changes. The program was also renamed the Ag & Hort Labor Education Program.
• Vision Statement: To be a primary education resource on Hispanic employment in ag & hort enterprises.
• Mission Statement: To improve the working relationship between ag & hort employers and their Hispanic employees.
