$56.9 Million USDA Grant Awarded To UMOS To Assist Over 75,000 Farm Workers, Meatpackers, Dairy And Grocery Workers In 13 States Including 14,000 In Wisconsin

Farm workers and meatpackers to receive $600 in relief payments.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 31, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS) held a USDA/César E. Chávez Day celebration breakfast at its headquarters in recognition of the late United Farm Workers Union leader César E. Chávez where invited guest Jenny Lester Moffitt, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary of Marking and Regulatory Programs spoke about the USDA Farm and Food Workers Relief Program that included a recent $56.9 million grant that the USDA awarded UMOS to assist 75,000 Farm workers, meatpackers nationwide, and over 14,000 in Wisconsin.

According to Moffitt, the USDA has awarded 15 non-profits over $600 million in Farm and Food Workers Relief Program grants to assist farm workers, meatpacking, and grocery workers nationwide with direct COVID-19 related relief payments. UMOS headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin will receive $56,886,475 to implement the program in thirteen states.

A one time payment of $600 will be made to over 75,000 eligible applicants nationwide within a two-year period. UMOS will disperse over $8.9 million in debt cards to over 10,000 eligible agricultural workers (including dairy) and approximately 4,800 meatpackers throughout the state, according to the UMOS press release.

UMOS will deliver services directly to Wisconsin, Illinois, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Missouri and Texas. UMOS also plans to partnership with other non-profit organizations in Florida, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana and Nebraska to identify eligible workers and assist with the application process. Any farm worker or meatpacker, who earned at least $1.00 in agreculture work, has proper documentation and proof of identification can apply.

Lupe Martinez, President and CEO of UMOS says, farm workers, meatpackers and grocery workers were classified by the federal government as, "essential workers" during the height of the pandemic.

Alderman Jóse G. Pérez, the Milwaukee Common Council President and Joaquin Altoro, USDA administrator of the Rural Housing Service also spoke during the breakfast at UMOS.

Video of UMOS presentations by Moffitt, Altoro and Pérez at following link: https://youtu.be/LjHu52L-xyg

City Hall: Video of the César E. Chávez Birthday Celebration 2023 and presentations by Alderman Jóse G. Pérez, President of the Milwaukee Common Council, invited guests Lupe Martinez, President and CEO of UMOS and Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA Under Secretary at following link: https://youtu.be/LhbPRkCa1ks