Virginia Tech College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Community Based Research for Farmworker Wellness

In response to a request from the Legal Aid Justice Center, the Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) conducted a mixed-methods study of worker concerns in the dairy industry in Southwest Virginia, with particular focus on the New River Valley.  The key goals of this study were to establish an understanding of the working conditions in the dairy industry and to understand what concerns those employed in the industry may have related to their experiences on the job. This project was accomplished through a survey of work conditions and concerns and semi-structured interviews with workers in the industry to develop a deeper understanding of the grass-roots perspective in the dairy industry.