Original Air Date: Aug. 3, 2005

In 1960, CBS first aired Edward R. Murrow's landmark documentary "Harvest of Shame," which exposed the poor living conditions of many migrant farmworkers, including many in North Carolina. Forty-five years later, many migrant farmworkers in our state still face overcrowded, unsanitary and unhealthy living conditions. Focal Point: "Standards of Living" examines those conditions and a battle brewing over new legislation to improve them.

Watch the Documentary

Part 1: There’s a striking resemblance between the migrant farmworker housing depicted 45 years ago in "Harvest of Shame" and the migrant farmworker housing of today.

Part 2: Some powerful voices oppose new state standards for migrant farmworker housing that would require farmers to provide more showers, toilets and mattresses for workers.

Part 3: Some farmers exceed state standards for migrant housing, saying it helps make their workers more productive and dependable.

Part 4: The North Carolina commissioner of agriculture says improving migrant housing would cost farmers too much. Where is the balance between a farmer’s economic viability and a worker’s human dignity?

Online Resources

• N.C. Department of Labor's Agricultural Safety and Health Bureau
• Agricultural Resource Center and Pesticide Education Project
• Farmworker Advocacy Network

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