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How we reported the story: Delta farm discrimination

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How we reported the story: White Delta farm owners underpay, push out Black workers

Mississippi Today reporter Sara DiNatale spent eight months investigating the of the farming workforce in the Delta. She interviewed a dozen local and H-2A visa farm workers, some currently living in South Africa.

She examined three investigation files from the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which Mississippi Today obtained through public information requests.

What she discovered was alarming: At least five Delta farms paid their primarily Black local workforce less money per hour than temporary workers from other countries — most often, white from South Africa.

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“I started investigating the dynamics at play among the workforce on Delta farms because I knew it was more than just a story,” DiNatale said. “I knew if I spent time listening and searching, would back up what these men were telling me. And that's what we were able to find.”

DiNatale along with data reporter Alex Rozier analyzed 15 years of labor department enforcement data to show the high rate Mississippi farms are found to be breaking labor laws when investigated by federal agents. They also sorted through nationwide H-2A applications data to identify trends among the Mississippi farms that used the program last year.

DiNatale contacted more than 30 farm owners throughout the Delta and spent time with veteran farmworkers. Her was informed by interviews with agricultural academics from Alcorn State , University of Arkansas and Tuskegee University, as well as researchers at the Economic Policy Institute. She attended a virtual held by the Department of Labor meant to educate about farmworkers' rights and missteps often made by farmers using the H-2A program.

While she used information shared in the Mississippi Center for Justice's lawsuits against Pitts Farms and Harris Russell Farm, she also verified information shared by attorneys with former workers and experts familiar with the H-2A program.

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“The problem our investigation uncovered is complex and nuanced,” DiNatale said. “But Mississippi leadership has made it clear they want to focus on creating well-paying in the state. I think the biggest takeaway of everything is: Don't forget about the Delta.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Deep South Summertime – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Ashleigh Bryant – 2023-06-05 17:32:48

SUMMARY: This in Columbus, Mississippi is expected to be hot and humid with afternoon showers most days. Humidity may decrease some on Friday due to a cold front moving through northern Mississippi. High temperatures range from the upper 80s to lower 90s and overnight temperatures remain in the 60s.

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Mississippi News

Ridgeland police search for sexual battery suspect

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2023-06-05 16:44:19

SUMMARY: Ridgeland are searching for 32-year-old Joshua Bernard Green, who is wanted for sexual battery. The incident occurred on May 15, and anyone with information on Green's whereabouts can contact the Ridgeland Police Department Criminal Investigation Division or Stoppers.

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The post Ridgeland police search for sexual battery suspect appeared first on www.wjtv.com

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Mississippi News

Columbus officers make burglary arrest at convenience store

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www.wcbi.com – Eric Lampkin – 2023-06-05 15:05:10

SUMMARY: A man was in Columbus, Mississippi, after were alerted to a burglary in progress at a convenience store. arrived at the scene and located the point of entry, finding the still inside the building. Carlos Morgan has been charged with burglarizing a commercial business.

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The post Columbus officers make burglary arrest at convenience store appeared first on www.wcbi.com

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