Health Secretary Becerra touts extreme heat protections. Farmworkers want more.

Xavier Becerra, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, visited Clarksburg, California to discuss the Biden administration’s efforts to protect farmworkers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke. He emphasized the importance of ensuring safe working conditions for those who provide food for our tables. Despite the challenges, Becerra highlighted resources available to farms to protect workers. Climate change is exacerbating extreme weather conditions, leading to an increase in heat-related deaths among farmworkers. Becerra is advocating for a federal heat safety standard to ensure protections nationwide. However, concerns remain about the distribution of federal funds to the most vulnerable populations, such as farmworkers.