OXNARD — The California Employment Development Dept. will present the 6th annual “Farmworker Fair — Feria Campesina” from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 21 at the EDD office/West Oxnard Job & Career Center, 635 So. Ventura Road, Oxnard.
The event features 30 agencies with information and resources to help farmworkers and live entertainment.
The Feria Campesina sets aside a special weekend day for farmworkers and their families who work during standard business hours to have easy, in-person access in one location to the resources and services offered by many different state government and local community agencies, officials reported in a media release.
“Farmworkers in Ventura County contribute greatly to our agricultural accomplishments by working in the fields and orchards through harsh and extreme weather conditions, and growing, harvesting and preparing goods for market, both at home and abroad. This event is an important step in recognizing the contribution of these workers,” Mary Navarro-Aldana, manager of the state EDD’s Oxnard Workforce Services office, stated in the release.
According to the most recent National Agricultural Workers Survey by the U.S. Department of Labor, there are approximately 20,000 farmworkers in the Ventura County area. During the Feria Campesina, participants will have access to information on farmworker, health and safety issues, labor law enforcement, wages, housing, transportation and other community services. The EDD, a partner in the Job and Career Center and host of the Fair, will have information on how farmworkers can use the Department’s CalJOBS system to find employment, including job opportunities in industries outside of farm work.
Sponsored by the State EDD, the Workforce Investment Board — Ventura County and the Center for employment Training.
Representatives from other agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, the state Department of Rehabilitation, Center for Employment Training, and the Labor Commissioner, will also be onsite to provide information and answer questions on their services
Call Lucy Cisneros at 805-382-8610 for more information.
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The California Employment Development Department, County of Ventura Human Services Agency, and the Center for Employment Training have been helping farmworkers transition into employment opportunities for many years through employment services and are facilitating this resource fair to better serve Ventura County farmworkers and their families, officials reported.