AUGUSTA, Maine - A new study is providing Maine's Department of Labor more information about people who come to the state to work seasonal agriculture jobs, such as growing broccoli, raking blueberries, and making wreaths.
DOL spokesperson Julie Rabinowitz says the study, the first of its kind, looked at several key areas, including "family composition, living and working, type of work prior to Maine, work activity while in Maine, and their destination after Maine."
The workers surveyed ranged in age from 19 to 75 years. Just over half were born in Mexico, with many also born in the U.S., Haiti, Canada and elsewhere.
While most were men, many of the workers were traveling with their spouses and children. Almost seven out of 10 consider the U.S. to be their permanent home.
The report indicates that about 60 percent of paid and hired farm workers reported by Maine agriculture operations are migrant workers.