KQED's Forum Investigation: Lax State Oversight Endangers California’s Child Farmworkers
Dec 9, 2025
Robert J. Lopez, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, joins Erica Diaz-Cervantes, a former child farmworker and advocate, to discuss the harsh realities faced by California’s child farmworkers. They reveal alarming details about minimal enforcement of labor laws, unsafe conditions, and inadequate wages as children as young as 12 pick crops. Lopez shares his findings from interviews with young workers detailing fears of retaliation, while Diaz-Cervantes recounts her own grueling experiences. Together, they highlight urgent calls for better protections and legislative action.
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Legal Roots Of Child Farm Labor
- California allows children as young as 12 to work in agriculture due to federal law exceptions rooted in the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- The state has strong safety laws on paper, but enforcement gaps leave young workers vulnerable.
Enforcement Capacity Crisis
- The Bureau of Field Enforcement had only 54 inspectors for the whole state covering many industries.
- Low inspection capacity removes the deterrent effect of enforcement and enables violations to persist.
Childhood In The Fields
- Erica Diaz-Cervantes began working at 12, picking green beans and green tomatoes alongside her siblings and mother.
- She recalls extreme heat, heavy 30-pound buckets, and pressure to keep pace with supervisors.