Fight on the Farm

World War II created critical labor shortages in all industries, but particularly so for agriculture. Farm workers were called to serve in the armed forces just as demand for food for the war effort was at its highest.

In 1942 the United States and Mexico entered into a labor agreement that came to be known as The Bracero Program.  

Farmers were required to exhaust all local sources of laborers before they could request Braceros.  Colleges and universities revised their school calendars in order to free students for agriculture work.  P.O.W.s, school children, even residents from the state mental institutions were hired to fill the labor gap, but it wasn’t enough.

On April 26, 1943 the Yakima Daily Republic reported that the first contingent of braceros plus a separate group of seasonal migratory workers arrived by train in Yakima. 

Initially, braceros travelled to Washington State by bus or train. For a short time after the war years, California and Washington transported braceros by air, then used trucks or buses for the last leg of the trip. Local communities formed Food for Victory Farm Labor committees to recruit volunteers.