University of California College of Agriculture Agricultural Experiment Station Berkeley, California SEASONAL LABOR NEEDS FOR CALIFORNIA CROPS NAPA COUNTY Progress Report No. 28 by R. L. Adams Preliminary — Subject to Correction November, 1936 Contribution from the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics Mimeographed Report No. 53 (Farm Labor Survey — January-June, 1936) Progress Report No» 28 Seasonal Labor Keeds of California Crops Napa County Scope of Presentation . — The following considerations govern the presen- tation of this progress report: 1. The data are confined to the area indicated above. 2. The data are confined solely to crops, livestock needs being ignored. 3. The findings apply only to occasional or seasonal labor requiremente as distinguished from labor contributed by farm operators and by workers employed on a year-round or regular basis of employment, 4. Attention is concentrated upon workers required for hand tasks — planting,, thinning, weeding, hoeing, and harvesting — without including teamsters, tractor drivers, irrigators, and shed packers of vegetables or fruits. 5. The presentation includes the so-called migratory, transient, or roving workers which comprise an important source of help needed in connection with certain tasks and at "peak" times which seasonally arise in connection with many field, truck, and fruit crops commercially produced in California. 6. This report is confined to California's need for seasonal agricultural workers because of the more pressing problems liable to arise in connection there- with. A later study is planned which will deal vdth other kinds of labor involved in the production of California's many crops. Brief Description of the Area . — IJapa County is one of the central counties of California, its southwestern point being about 25 miles nort.'i of San Francisco, and near the northern shore of San Pablo Bay. It is bounded on the east by Solano and Yolo counties, on the north by Lake County, and on the west by Sonoma County, which lies betvreen it and the Pacific Ocean. It is irregular in shape, extending about 46 miles north with a width varying up to about 25 miles in the widest place in the northern portion. The county includes a large amount of hilly and mountainous land — a portion of the Coast Range. The agricultural land lies in a number o^" valleys, the largest of v;hich is the Napa Valley, extending about 34 miles from Calistoga to the southern boundary, with a width of from 1 to 5 miles, and an elevation varying from sea level to about 300 feet. There are several smaller valleys, notably Berryessa Valley, about 2 miles by 12 miles in extent, in the northeastern part contiguous to Monticello, at an elevation of 300 to 400 feet; Wooden Valley and Gordon Valley, smaller in size, in the southern part, and several others . The soil of these valleys is largely a clay loam, with small aruas of loam and clay, A variety of crops is grov/n, prunes, poars, and grapes being the most important. The county contains an area of 501,120 acres of which 102,696 acres are classed as available for crops by the 1935 Census. This is further classified as follows by the Census for the crop year 1934: Acreage Crop land harvested 49,040 Crop failure 705 Crop land idle or fallow 3,490 Plowable pasture 49,461 Total 102,696 TABLE 1 Basis for Calculating Seasonal Labor Requirements Napa County Crop Acreage Production Field croDs:* Alfalfa hay f 1,143 3,162 tons Corn (for grain) "f 220 7,526 bushels Grain — barley 4,098 102,289 bushels oats 3,869 91,768 bushels wheat 3,263 74,213 bushels Hay — grain 7,844 12,326 tons other tame and wild grasses 1,119 1,762 tons annual legumes 176 321 tons Vegetable crops : ^ Peas (spring) 300 18,000 hampers Spinach ( canning) 68 (canning and fresh) Tomatoes (canning) 484 2,600 tons Fruit and nut croos c\ local ) 1,000 tons Apples 650 ( 250 tons ( 750 tons shipped) used fresh ( 174 tons dried woighfF)! ,080 ( 210 tons by-products ) tons fresh weight Apricots "f 120 ( 50 tons fresh ( 10 tons dried (dry weight)^ Cherries 280 ( 90 tons shipped ( 75 tons local ' ( 190 tons barrelled 1 Grapes 11,700 ( 17,500 tons crushed ( 3,500 tons shipped Fears 2,025 ( 70 tons shipped ( 1,410 tons canned ( 200 tons local ( 340 tons dried (dry weight)*?! Prunes 12,500 15,750 tons (di-y v/eight)'fl Plums + 75 250 tons fresh Walnuts 625 200 tons (310,900 pounds (merchantable Peaches "f" 100 ( 150 tons fresh ( 40 tons dried (dry weight) * Data from 1935 Census + Use of seasonal labor on these crops inconsequential and hence ignored. No material change in fruit acreage on new sur-vey. 4 Acreage of vegetable crops is frcan Federal-State Crop Reporting Service. Acreage of specified commercial vegetable crops by counties, 1935. <^ Fruit and nut data from VV. D. Butler, A?rricultural Commissioner. «fl Drying ratios estimated to be as follows: Apples Apricots— Fears Prunes 8 to 1 5,5 to 1 5 to 1 2.25 to 1 Operations Requiring Seasonal Labor and Time of Heed . — Farm operations requiring the use of seasonal or occasional labor for the various crops raised in Napa County are indicated in table 2. This tabulation does not include the employinp; of shed workers needed to 7,:ash, pack, and prepare various commodities for shipping and marketing. TABLE 2 Operations Requiring Use of Seasonal Labor and Times of Noods by Crops I-Tapa County Crop Operation Time of need by month -or, cent of work done, by seas one I help Output per man-day Field crops: Grain — barley, oats and wheat Harvesting with combine June 1-30 - of crop July 1-31 - of crop - 50 per 09ut) ) 50 per cent, Hay (other than alfalfa) Vegetable crops; Peas (greon) Mowing Raking Shocking Trimming Baling — 50 per cent of crop Picking May 1-31 — all of ' acroupo May 1-31 — o.ll of acreage Mav 1-31 — all of acre cr^.e May 1-31 — all of job June 1-30 -- 50 per cent of job July 1-31 — 50 per cent of job Jfey 15-31 — 50 per cent of crop June 1-15 — 50 per cent of crop 50 50 100 100 •5 acres 7,5 acres 15,0 acres 30.0 acres 10 tons 8 tons per 13 hour day 10 hampers Table continued on next page. 1- 4 Table 2 continued. Crop Tomatoes Fruit and nut crops : Apples Operation Transplanting in beds Planting in field (by machine) iloeing 2 times Picking Pruning Burning brush Spraying — 5 times March 1-15 — all of) job ) April 20-30 — 40 per ) cent of acreage ) May 1-15 ~ 60 per cent) of acreage ) Thinning — 50 per cent of acreage Time of X5oed by month ?er cent of work done by seasonal help June 1-30 — acreage July 1-31 — acreage all of) ) all of) ) Aug. 20-31 — 5 per ) cent of crop ) Sept, 1-30 — 60 per) cent of crop ) Oct. 1-31 — 35 per ) cent of crop ) Dec. 1-31 acreaf^e Jan. 1-31 acreage Feb. 1-28 acreap;e Dec. 1-31 acreage Jan. 1-31 acreage Feb. 1-28 acreage — 1/5 of) ) — 1/3 of) — 1/3 of) — 1/3 of) ) — 1/3 of) ) — 1/3 of) Dec .-1/3 of acreage Jan*-- 1/3 of acreage Feb #-1/3 of acreage Apr. -- all of acreage May — 150 per cent of acreage June — 150 per cent of acreage May 20-31 — 50 per) cent of job ) June 1-10 — 50 per) cent of job ) 66 56 100 100 60 75 66 90 Output per man-day 5,000 plants 1.6 acres 2 acres 2,000 pounds 0,25 acre 1 acre 2.0 acres average about 1/3 ! acre (-varifiE greatly) Table continued on next paf^e. t ; I 5. Table 2 continued Crop Operation Time of need by month Per cent of v/ork done by seasonal help Output per man-day Apples ( CO nt . ) Cherries Grapes Pears Picking for use (fresh) Picking up for drying and by- products Picking Pruning — all acreage annually Burning brush Hoeing and suckering Picking (for wineries) Pruning Burning brush July 15-31 — 30 per cent of job Aug. 1-31 — 70 per cent of job July 15-31 — 30 per cent of job Aug. 1-31 — 70 per cent of job May 10-30 — 25 per) cent of crop ) June 1-20 — 75 per) cent of crop ) Jan. 1-31 ~ SO per ) cent of acreage ) Feb. 1-20 — 50 per ) cent of acreage ) March 1-31 — 20 per) cent of acreage ) Jan. 1-31 — 30 per) cent of acreoge ) Feb. 1-23 — 50 per) cent of acreage ) March 1-31 — 20 per) cent of acreage ) By regular help Sept. 1-30 — 75 per cent of crop Oct. 1-31 — 25 per cent of crop Nov. 1-30 — 15 per cent of job Dec. 1-31 — 25 per cent of job Jan, 1-31 — 25 per cent of job Feb. I.r26 — 25 por cent of job March 1-15 — 10 per cent of job Nov. 1-30 — 15 per cent of job 100 100 100 50 50 100 50 50 2,000 pound £ 2,800 pounds 200 pounds C . 75 acre 5,0 acres 2,400 pounds 0,2 acre 3,0 acres Table continued on next page. 6. Table 2 continued. Crop Fears (cont.) Prunes Operation Burning brush (cont.) Picking Cutting for drying Other dry-yard labor Pruning — 50 per cent of acreage annually Burning brush Spraying Time of need by month Dec. 1-31 — 25 per ) cent of job ) Jan. 1-31 — 25 per ) cent of job ) Feb. 1-28 — 25 per ) cent of job ) March 1-15 — 10 per) cent of job ) July 15-31 ~ l/o of) crop ) Aug. 1-31 — 2/3 of ) crop ) Aug. 1-31 — all of job Aue-. 1-31 75 per cent of job Sept. 1-15 — - 25 per cent of job Oct. 1-31 ~ 5 per ) cent of job Nov. 1-30 — 10 per) cent of job Dec. 1-31 — 25 pe r) cent of job Jan. 1-31 — 25 per) cent of job Feb. 1-28 — 25 per) cent of job Mar. 1-15 — 10 per) cent of job Oct. 1-31 — 5 per ) cent of job Nov. 1-30 — 10 per) cent of job Dec. 1-31 -- 25 per) cent of job Jan, 1-31 — 25 per) cent of job Feb. 1-28 — 25 per) cent of job Mar. 1-15 — 10 per) cent of job January Feb. — generally by regular help Per cent of work done by seasonal help 100 100 100 75 75 Cutput per man- day 1,600 pounds 1,000 pounds 26 1/2 hours per fresh tont 0.5 acre 2.5 acres Table continued on next page. 7. Table 2 continued. Crop Operation Time of need by month Per cent work done seasonal of by help Output per man- day Prunes (cont.) licking up Aug. 15-31 — 50 per) cent of crop ) Sept. 1-20 — 50 per) cent of crop ) 100 1,500 pounds Dipping and drying — 50 per cent by dehydrator Aug. 15-31 — 40 per) cent of job ) Sept. 1-20 — 60 per) cent of job ) 100 B . 3 hours per flresh ton "t Walnuts Knocking and picking up Hulling — by regular help Sept. 20-30 — 25 per) cent of job ) Oct. 1-31 — 75 per ) _ _ -|.„i, « X* J ^ 1^ 1 oenfc of job ) 50 300 pounds ♦Tomatoes are generally planted 1,200 per acre — an extra 20 per cent of plants allowed for replanting. f From Christie » A. W, and L. C, Barnard. The principles and practice of sun-drying fruit. California Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 388:40-.60. 1925 Findings of Seasonal Labor Needs . — Details and summaries of seasonal labor requirements of Napa County agriculture are presented as table 3. The "size of task" are figures dravra from table 1 in terms of either acreage or output in tons, crates, boxes or whatever unit is commonly used. The "output per man-day" is an average figure for the entire acreage or output figured in crates, hampers, boxes or other units as indicated in the table. If the work is of a nature that requires a crew, different members of which perform different tasks, then the average shown is per man based on the entire crew. length of day is 9 hours, November to February; 10 hours, March to October, unless othervn.se stated. Wide variations in output occur between farm and fam, field and field, and season and season, because of differences in soil types, climatic conditions, weeds, yields, and other factors influencing the amount of work that a laborer can perform in a given day. More- over, the basis of output is a mature, experienced male worker without reference to use of women, children, and more or less inexperienced help that is sometimes used in connection with certain of the tasks requiring use of seasonal workers. The column headed "available days" reflects (a) limitations set from the period within which the work must be performed because of the nature of the task, such as trans- planting, thinning, weeding, and cutting, and (b) available days as detemined by weather conditions, inclement weather reducing the number of days when a required task can be performed. The "required number of individuals" is given in terms of workers as noted above in connection with "output per man-day". It is probable that the estimated number of workers required, as recorded in table 3, will often be too low, for the reason that "peaks" frequently occur, during which an unusually large proportion of the job is done in a very short period. This would naturally require a much greater number of workers than when the work is spread over a longer period, even though the total amount of labor (in man-days) remains the same. TABLE 3 Seasonal Labor Needs -- Napa County — by Months and Tasks Required Available Required number of workers* Si> e of task Outnut nPT* man— da.v days January Apples: Pruning 130 acres "f' 0 #25 acr 8 520 15 35 Burnine brush 162 acres't' 1 .0 acre 162 15 11 SoravinE 143 acres 2.0 acres 72 15 5 Grapes: Pruning 1,755 acresl" 0.75 acre 2,340 15 156 Burning brush 1 , 755 acres 5.0 acres 351 15 24 Fears: Pruning 0 »2 acre 1 , 270 15 25 Burning brush 254 acresi" 3 .C acre s 85 15 b Prunes: Pruning 1,172 acresi 0.5 acre 2,344 15 157 BiiT*ninff bi'ush 1 172 acres -f 2.5 acres 469 15 32 Totals 7 613 15 soft man -*mn n + H ^3 February Apples: Pruning 130 acres + 0.25 acre 520 19 28 Burning brush 152 acres + 1 .0 acre 162 19 9 Spraying 143 acres f 2,0 acres 72 19 4 Grapes: Pruning 2,925 acres+ 0-75 acre 3,900 19 206 Burning brush 2,925 acres t 5.0 acres 585 19 31 Pears: Pruning 254 acresi" 0.2 acre 1,270 19 67 Burning brush 254 acres + 2 .0 acres 85 19 5 Prunes: Pruning 1,172 acres+ 0.5 acre 2, 344 19 Burning brush 1,172 acrest 2.5 acres 469 19 25 Totals 9.407 19 496 man-months March Tomatoes: Transplanting in beds 460,000 plants 5,000.0 plants 92 9 11 (March 1-J5) Grapes: Pruning 1,170 acrest 0.75 acre 1,560 19 83 Burning brush 1,170 acrest 5.0 acres 234 19 13 Pears: Pruning 100 acrest 0.2 acre 500 9 56 (March 1-15) Burning brush 100 acres 3,0 acres 34 9 4 (March 1-15) Prunes: Pruning 469 acrest 0.5 acre 938 9 105 (March 1-15) Burning brush 469 acres + 2.5 acres 188 9 21 (March 1-15) Totals 3.546 19 187 man-months Table continued on next page. 00 -4 Table 5 continued. Required Available Required number of worker^ Month Grot) and task Size of task Output Der man- day man-days days April Tomatoes: Planting in field 128 acres -f 1.6 acres 80 8 10 (April 20-30) Apples: Spraying 429 acres t 2.0 acres 215 22 10 Totals 295 22 14 May- Hay (other than alfalfa) Mowing 4,570 acrest 7.5 acres 610 23 27 Raking 4,570 acres-t 15.0 acres 305 23 14 Shocking 4,570 acrest 30.0 acres 153 23 7 Trimming 7,205 tons-h 10.0 tons 721 23 32 Peas (green): Picking 9,000 hampers 10.0 hampers 900 12 75 (May 15-31) Tomatoes: Planting in field 192 acres t 1.0 acres 120 11 11 (May 1-15) Apples: Spraying 643 acres t 2.0 acres 322 23 14 Thinning 146 acres T 0.33 acres 443 8 56 (May 20-31) Cherries: Picking 70 tons 200.0 pounds 700 16 44 (May 10-31) Totals 4.274 23 186 man-months June Grain: Harvesting with combine 2,808 acrest 5.0 acres 562 26 22 Hay (other than alfalfa): Baling 3,602 tons 8.0 tons 451 26 18 Peas (green): Picking 9,000 hampers 10.0 hampers 900 13 70 (June 1-15) Tomatoes; Hoeing 484 acres 2.0 acres 242 26 10 Apples: Spraying 643 acres t 2.0 acres 322 26 13 Thinning 146 acrest* 0.33 acre 443 8 56 (June I-IO) Cherries: Picking 210 tons 200.0 pounds 2.100 20 105 (June 1-20) Totals 5.020 26 194 man-months July Grain: Harvesting with combine 2,807 acrest 5.0 acres 562 26 22 Hay (other than alfalfa): Baling 3,602 tons 8.0 tons 451 26 18 Tomatoes: Hoeing 484 acres 2.0 acres 242 26 10 Apples: Picking for use fresh 300 tons 1.0 ton 300 13 24 (July 15-31) Picking up for drying and by-products 324 tons 2,800 pounds 232 13 18 (July 15-31) ^ Pears: Picking 1,127 tons 1,600 pounds 1,409 13 109 (July 15-31) Totals 3,196 26 123 man-months Table continued on next page. .. I, .. Table 5 continued Kp fi n i yp f] Ava i 1 Rbil p n It CX X X C^UX C Rpniii ypr nnmhipr* n f* Sl7-P of tpi U JL £^ ^ W J. O o Z\ Out nut 0*=^!^ mAn— dav man— day s days WO rVp TR * August i OiTld. t U Co. jrXUAxllg 1 n t nn 1 "^0 Q 15 f All D- PO-"^! xo ^nu^. (CW OX / iippxcs- r^j.L«j\j.ii^ lux use fre sh 1 n t nn 700 P7 ric.rCinfT up lor uFyin^ and by-products loo tons £i , cuu .u pounds OA CO OT iSX Pears: PicKing Cyfioo xons X , ouu .u pounds C , Ol / luy J. f 1 WU bUilo 1 000 0 nniinr^Q 400 ?fi 1 ■^l ?fi 1 "^n XOw 17 71 Q tnn«! 1 SOO nonnH^ 13 X. \J 1 81 R ( Auff 1 5-31 \ U-ippxIlg CLIIU UX Jr-*-Iig 14. 175 tont; 11 , 813 13 909 f Auff 1 5-'^l ) Total CI 46 ,400 26 1 7RS Tifl n— mnn f H c: ^ *i n + o mV» V* T'nmrt "fopc?" Pif*V"i Y\sf 1 560 tons 1 -0 ton 1 , 560 26 60 \J1 CLp Co* rJ.<^J\X[lf:^ 1 S 7 SO t on "^OO 0 n ni 1 n H <3 1 67 X (J 1 Q 19 fSpnt ?0-30^ Tot q X W O CLJL O 57 ■^2'^ 26 P P05 trir^ yi — mnn t he: ucxo Der 1 oniaxoes . r i c icing viu uons X • u xon y xu / P Ul dp Co. XJLUlVJ.Ilg P AOO O nnnnH Q 1 QQ pT'imP^' Pviini T\iT X X UilCO* 1 X LIJIXI ? "^/l A r p <5 "f" 0 S Plf*T*P \J • \J Or\^ X c 468 22 22 ? ."^4- ri r p c; 'i* W • W U' w X v> O 94 22 5 piCKing up 7 ^ + nnc! 4- / 3 l/U llo \ "^OO O nmm^^ o pp Tn+ ale A "^47 O , I PP tcoy man— montns pppyie>« Pr*linincr 1 ccbx o • i X yjtiiJLii^ 1 SO (* r*p C3 "f" Xi^w CLV> i CO 1 0 P A f* VP 750 X>Ui iixxx^ UOll 1 Ar^y*C3Q -f- X tJW cxl^l Co 1 O n T^i^ c •J • W CXL' I C o SO PP ij Prunes: Pruning 468 acres i" 0.5 acre 936 22 43 Burning brush 468 acres-t 2.5 acres 188 22 9 Totals 1.924 22 88 man-months December Apples: Pruning 130 acres -f- 0.25 acre 520 18 29 Burning brush 162 acres -f 1.0 acre 162 18 9 Spraying 143 acres + 2.0 acres 72 18 4 S Table continued on next page. Table 5 continued- Month Crop and task Size of taslf Outnut npT man— Hqv Required mS Kl _ /-^ Q T r c? Available days Required number of wo rkers* December (cont. ) Pears: Pruning Burning brush Prunes: Pruning Burning brush Totals 254 acres -Y 254 acres -f- 1,172 acres t 1,172 acres t 0.2 acre 3.0 acres 0.5 acre 2»5 acres 1,270 85 2,344 469 18 18 18 18 71 5 131 27 4.922 18 274 man-months *0n a monthly basis unless otherwise noted. f Estimated portion of job done by seasonal workers. =^Tv/enty per cent added to allow for replanting needs. (^Dry-yard labor, other than cutting, estimated to be as follows: Pears — 26.5 man-hours per fresh ton. Prunes — 8.3 man-hours per fresh ton. TABLE 4 Summary of Seasonal Labor Neods by Months Naptx County 1935 Month Required man-days Available Required man-months f J vj i. O J. O ftyo March 3,546 April 29 5 22 14 May 4,274 23 186 June 5,020 26 194 July 3,196 26 123 August 46,400 26 1,785 September 57,323 26 2,205 October 6,347 22 289 November 1,924 22 88 December 4,922 18 274 Total 150,267 6,349 13. Notes Notes on Table 2 . — Data concerning "time of need" as shoiA.Ti in this table break dovm required seasonal labor into the periods in which the work is performed in order to permit a subsequent determination of labor needs by months (table 3) . Some operations are performed only to a limited extent with seasonal labor. For example, only about half the pruning of grapes and pears is done with seasonal workers; half of the labor in harvesting grain, etc. Each of these jobs having been done in several different months, the proportionate amount for each month is s hown . The amount of work done each month is based on the cropping program followed in 1935, The allotting of amounts of work is based on findings concerning local farm practices, resulting from inquiry of producers. Proportionate amounts of out- put harvested each month were determined from data of local practices v;ith respect to harvesting, and from carlot shipments of perishable products. Records of truck shipments vrere also used when available. Notes on Table 3 . — Table 3 is the condensed summary of labor needs as worked out for Napa County as a result of findings pertinent to 1935. The data are presented by months with the tasks which v/ere performed in each month indicated by both crop and task. The size of the job was calculated from the data appearing in table 1 (acreage and production) and table 2 (task, time of performance, and per- centage of work pertinent to a given month). The output per man-day v/as calculated as indicated in the forevrord presenting table 3. The number of required man-days is a result of dividing the size of task by output per man-day. The available days for the different tasks involve two variables. The first is the number of days when field work is possible because of favorable weather conditions. The basis for this column was determined from a study of the monthly weather charts of the United States Weather Bureau for the years 1933, 1934, and 1935. These data in- dicated available days per month as follows (based on a 26-day vrorking month without allowance for holidays) : Available Length of Month Available Lenpith of Month days* work day -f days^< work day hours hours January February March April 15 19 19 22 9 9 10 10 July Augus t September October 26 26 2S 22 10 10 10 10 May 23 10 November 22 9 June 26 10 December 18 9 *Based on precipitation records of the Napa station of the U. S. Vfeather Bureau for the years 1933, 1934 and 1935. -f'On some fitmiB days are 8 hours in printer and 9 hours in summer. The second factor influencing the number of available days was the size of the job. If the task v/as smal] , then the number of days was limited to tho time needed to do the work efficiently. If a field operation had to be performed in a period less than the number of available days in tho month, then the specific number of days was noted. These restrictions are shovm in parentheses. For example J in June, thinning of apples i/as limited to 8 days in tho first part of the month, cherries to the first 20 days, etc. 14. The totals of table 3 show thu total required mcin-days of nooded seasonal labor, the available days for field work during tho month, and the necessary number of men ( as defined in the opening paragraph of tabic 3) required on a monthly basis to care for the tasks ordinarily performed by seasonal workers. The findings as set forth in this report are bound to fluctuate materially from year to year, because of the influence of the market outlook upon what and how much is planted, and when it is planted, because of vario.blo seasonal conditions affecting yields, times of performing operations, and available days; and bccr:.usc of harvesting operations on certain crops being speeded up to supply a t;ood m^irkct, or retarded to avoid a poor one, resulting in marked variations in the need for harvest labor.