"Farm safety promotion is a priority for Delaware Farm Bureau. We are proud to partner with the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs to be a drop-off location for long-sleeved shirt donations, helping protect farm workers from pesticide exposure and heat-related illnesses." - Bill Powers, DEFB President
2025 NATIONAL LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT DRIVE
NATIONAL FARMWORKER AWARENESS WEEK | MARCH 23-31, 2025
Each year, U.S. farms, forests, and landscapes use 1 billion pounds of pesticides, exposing farmworkers—who feed the nation—to serious health risks. The EPA estimates that 10,000–20,000 pesticide poisonings occur annually among the country’s two million agricultural workers. Heat-related illnesses are also a major concern: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 33,890 work-related heat illnesses from 2011 to 2020, with 479 fatalities from 2011 to 2022—figures likely underestimated due to underreporting.
During National Farmworker Awareness Week (March 23–31, 2025), the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP) will host its annual National Long-Sleeve Shirt Drive, aiming to collect over 20,000 shirts through a network of 75+ partners. These long-sleeved shirts will help protect farmworkers from pesticide exposure and heat-related illness and will be distributed alongside health and safety trainings and educational materials through AFOP’s network of 150+ trainers nationwide.
Since 2014, AFOP has distributed more than 129,528 long-sleeve shirts nationwide. In 2025, donations can be made at over 100 locations, including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. To find a drop-off site, visit afop.org/nfaw. "Giving farmworkers long-sleeve shirts is great and can be life-saving. But the most rewarding part is collecting them and educating people about the vital role of migrant farmworkers in our country, state, and local economy." – Jody Stutzman, Proteus Regional Director in Nebraska.
--> Without farmworkers, there’s no food! Join us in this effort by filling out the partnership form: https://forms.gle/GsSHyQ2zFJYibP9G8 or follow us on all social media platforms as @afophealth.
“National Farmworker Awareness Week is more than just a time for awareness—it’s a call to action. Each donated shirt is a symbol of protection, respect, and appreciation for the hands that feed our nation. Together, we can make a difference, one long-sleeve shirt and one conversation at a time.” – Melanie Forti, AFOP Health & Safety Programs Director
About AFOP
The Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs is a non-profit, national federation of 51 non-profit and public agencies that provide training and employment services to migrant and seasonal farm workers. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all farmworkers and their families through advocacy, education, and training AFOP’s mission is to improve the quality of life for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families by providing advocacy for the member organizations that serve them. That means securing the same rights and benefits for farmworkers that the rest of the American people enjoy. For media inquiries, contact Melanie Forti at (202) 963-3200 or forti@afop.org.
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