Housing seasonal workers for the Minnesota processed vegetable industry

The place where we live and work is a reflection of a complex set of economic conditions and social relationships. Very little information is available regarding housing for Minnesota's migrant workers. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 people migrate to Minnesota each summer to work in the production and processing of green peas and sweet corn. Obtaining adequate, affordable short-term housing for these workers and dependents accompanying them is a challenge. Many migrants end up living in over-crowded, substandard conditions that place financial burdens on their limited incomes. Using secondary sources, including a survey of 282 migrant workers, government documents, and media reports, this study provides a review of migrant workers' housing in four Minnesota counties where vegetable production and processing occur. The findings are then examined using Mitchell's Labor Theory of Landscape providing a potential explanation of the context and meaning of these housing conditions.