Actress Eva Longoria is on the talk-show circuit promoting her documentary “Food Chains,” which looks at how Florida’s tomato-growing industry has responded to human-rights issues affecting farmworkers.
The documentary Narrated by Forest Whitaker takes place in Florida's sun-baked tomato fields - and in front of Publix's Lakeland headquarters, where executives refused to speak with farmworkers.
It spotlights the fact that Publix, Florida's largest supermarket chain, has not joined other retailers in paying a penny extra per pound to ensure that tomato pickers get decent wages and working conditions. It's called the Fair Food Program.
Wal-Mart, the nations largest retailer whose business practices and treatment of employee's has come under fire before, has agreed to pay an extra penny a pound to lift impoverished wages for Florida farmers.
Is Publix getting a fair shake on the fair wage farm debate? At least one Florida grower says no.
Kent Shoemaker, CEO of Immokalee, Florida based Lipman Growers, desputes some of the movies claims.
Stating that people earn "$40 a day for 4,000 pounds" of harvest is incorrect. Our workers are paid at least minimum wage, with a vast majority making more than that. Last year, we awarded over $1,000,000 in season-end bonuses to those who harvest our crop. We pay $.55/bucket, plus a $.10/bucket bonus. That is more than $.02/pound which is more than double of what Ms. Longoria continues to state. Our average farmworker made $12.83/hour last year and that is before factoring free housing and transportation.
When it comes to farmworkers' rights, Publix Super Markets is not the problem. Publix is a values-based company that I believe has been forced into a defensive stance because of the offensive statements and actions being directed at them
Meanwhile, some Publix shoppers continue to leave a penny with the cashier as sign of support for the Fair Food Program.