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Farm labor (in the USA) has much lower minimum wage and safety protections compared to most other work, enforced by federal law, though I don't know how consequential the farm cost part of the equation is by the time the food gets to the restaurant or dinner table.


Farm labor in the US is largely divorced from the minimum wage because it largely uses undocumented and illegal immigrants, with threat of deportation for any back chat. This was true even in Northern Maine, 2000 miles from the border. These people do NOT make $15 an hour. I don't think they even make $7.25 an hour.


Even legal immigrant farm labor can be paid under minimum wage.

Child labor laws are also fudged a bit for that specific category. Like, by law, they are, not just by convention.


> Even legal immigrant farm labor can be paid under minimum wage.

Certain farm laborers have a lower minimum wage, and all farm laborers are federally exempt from overtime pay.




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