Oregon Farm Labor Data Remains Scattered

Oregon farmworkers lack a unified data collection system and a single process for handling complaints about working conditions, according to a 75-page report released by the Legislative Policy and Research Office last week. The document responds to a 2025 state law requiring analysts to review the agricultural industry and its administration of labor standards.

The report identifies a lack of interagency coordination as a primary issue. While the Department of Consumer and Business Services, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture share some responsibilities, the study notes that collaboration is limited. In certain areas, state law does not require these agencies to share complaint information with one another.

The analysis states that no single framework directs how agencies should coordinate on farmworker protections. Instead, coordination relies on statutory duties, complaint referrals, and interagency agreements. This fragmented approach applies to protections covering pesticide use, heat safety, housing security, minimum wage standards, and anti-discrimination statutes that apply regardless of immigration status.

Data on the agricultural sector is described as fragmented, lagged, and incomplete. The report notes that key measures must be assembled from separate sources built for different purposes and released on different schedules. These sources use different definitions for farms, employers, and farmworkers, making it difficult to track employment trends, the well-being of family farms, and the efficacy of temporary visa programs.

In 2022, more than 80% of Oregon farms were family operations with gross cash income under $150,000. The disjointed data environment complicates the state's ability to monitor how these farms and their workers are faring. The report finds that current systems do not provide a clear picture of labor conditions across the industry.

These findings arrive ahead of another report scheduled for delivery to lawmakers at the end of November. That upcoming document will detail the economic impact of a 2022 state law phasing in stricter overtime standards for farmworkers who do not benefit from federal overtime protections. Lawmakers could revisit the law during the 2027 legislative session.

The current law guarantees overtime for work exceeding 48 hours per week in 2026. Starting next year, the threshold will drop to 40 hours. A 2025 analysis by researchers at Oregon State University found that while the law increased hourly wages, it resulted in less total income for agricultural employees. Colorado has adjusted its provisions to apply to work beyond 56 hours per week.

Reyna Lopez, executive director of Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, stated that farmworkers have historically lacked the fair labor, wage, and safety standards available to other workers. She noted that piece rate wages, where pay is based on units of work rather than time, often exclude workers from compensation during breaks. Lopez also cited inadequate housing conditions, including a lack of indoor plumbing and cooking spaces.

Jenny Dresler, a spokesperson for the Oregon Farm Bureau, said the report affirms that farmworkers receive similar rights and protections as other workers. She argued that the lack of unified data is not unique to agriculture, noting that construction, manufacturing, retail, insurance, health care, and restaurant sectors also face disjointed regulatory environments with multiple enforcement agencies.

The report concludes that agencies coordinate where responsibilities intersect but lack a directed framework for farmworker protections. The state continues to rely on separate data sources and distinct agency jurisdictions to monitor the agricultural workforce.