The third in a series of business forums will focus on the Hispanic population in Yuma County, Ariz., and the impact on the local economy of agricultural workers.
The forum, Know Yuma Inside & Out, will be held from 7 to 8 a.m. Thursday in the Yuma City Council Chambers, Yuma City Hall, One City Plaza.
It is free and a continental breakfast will be served. All business people are invited to attend and gain information that could be helpful to their business.
According to a 2008 study, Yuma County had an estimated 41,300 seasonal farmworkers who worked in the area's fields, packing houses and salad plants primarily for the winter fresh vegetable industry. Some have their families with them.
About half the agricultural workers live in Mexico and commute across the border each day to work the winter vegetable crops, said Kurt Nolte, executive director of the Yuma County Cooperative Extension. Most of the other half reside in Yuma County, although a few are brought in from other countries as guest workers through the H2A program, he noted.
The peak period typically is from November through the end of February, he said.
While here, the workers spend their money on the usual things, including housing, food, clothing and transportation, Nolte said.
"Through sheer numbers, their impact is significant even just buying sodas from a convenience store."
Questions to be discussed during Thursday's forum include what percentage of each Yuma County community is Hispanic, how multi-generational Hispanic households affect their spending, the difference between acculturated and assimilated Hispanics, predominant language, what months seasonal agricultural workers are in Yuma County, how many come and where they come from, how many bring their families, their economic impact, what they spend their money on and how businesses can capture this audience.
The monthly forum is hosted by the Yuma Sun in partnership with the city of Yuma, Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, Yuma Visitors Bureau and Greater Yuma Economic Development Corp. to provide local business leaders with information to help them grow their businesses.
