BUSINESS MODEL

Traffickers exploit workers in the agriculture and animal husbandry industry, from corn fields to orange orchards to dairy farms. Some crops such as tobacco require much more intensive labor to harvest, making them more susceptible to forced labor or exploitation. Tobacco is the crop cited most often on Polaris-operated hotlines, accounting for 10 percent of all agricultural labor trafficking cases. Others frequently mentioned are cattle/dairy, oranges, tomatoes, and strawberries. Often an agricultural contract will promise an hourly rate but then pay on a piece-rate basis, which severely limits earning potential and further entraps the victims. Abuse and exploitation of agricultural workers can happen at multiple levels due to the complex labor supply chain of recruiters, managers, contractors, subcontractors, growers, and buyers.