Overview

Mary Jo Dudley is the Director of the Cornell Farmworker Program (a collaborative effort of CALS, CHE and CCE), and a faculty member of the Department of Development Sociology. She has extensive research interests in immigrant workers, farmworkers, US-Latin American relations, migration from Latin America to the US, and immigrant communities in the US. She is currently involved in capacity building within the farmworker community in New York State. She is also engaged in research on farmworkers' contributions, farmworkers` perceptions about life in their new communities, farmworker empowerment, and gender and participation. Current research with farmworkers and farmers examines how to improve workplace relations. Mary Jo was selected for the 2012 White House Champions of Change Cesar Chavez Legacy award.

Research Focus

Mary Jo Dudley's research focus is on farmworkers in New York State. Her research examines farmworkers’ motivations for migrating, interactions in new communities, access and use of services, employment, and future goals and aspirations. In 2012 she expanded her research to include a project that separately convenes groups of farmworkers and employers to examine opportunities for improving workplace relations on dairy farms. In 2009 she expanded her research on opportunities for domestic fair trade to include a new multi-unit collaborative research effort. Her broader research interests include gender and participation, demographic studies, immigration issues, farmworker health, and Latino cultural understandings. She is also engaged in research on mental health concerns among immigrant farmworkers in New York State.

Outreach and Extension Focus

Address farmworker needs through research, education and extension. Establish linkages between Cornell faculty, students and staff and farmworkers. Examine opportunities to address farmworker needs in collaboration with farmworkers and all related stakeholders including farmworker service providers and advocates, growers, grower organizations, and community organizations. Stimulate research and education to address farmworker needs and to inform policy on social, economic and political aspects of farmworker needs. Coordinate with faculty, students, staff and extension professionals. Develop student internship opportunities for research with key stakeholders.

Mary Jo Dudley's extension efforts include addressing farmworker needs through supporting the provision of on-farm language instruction, increasing farmworkers' understanding of New York State and federal laws, farmworker empowerment through capacity building activities, and facilitating workshops on immigration issues as they relate to farmworkers. Her extension activities also include education on diversity issues, workshops to improve communication between farmworkers, their employers, and members of the communities in which they live. Her outreach activities include the ongoing development of a bilingual farmworker/immigrant service directory for New York State, collaborations with CCE county associations to expand their capacity to address farmworker needs, and providing student support for farmworker service providers through the CMP summer internship program. In 2009, Mary Jo’s new extension efforts included the development of educational materials for farmworkers on chemical safety on dairy farms

Mary Jo Dudley's extension efforts include addressing farmworker needs through supporting the provision of on-farm language instruction, increasing farmworkers' understanding of New York State and federal laws, farmworker empowerment through capacity building activities, and facilitating workshops on immigration issues as they relate to farmworkers. Her extension activities also include education on diversity issues, workshops to improve communication between farmworkers, their employers, and members of the communities in which they live. Her outreach activities include the ongoing development of a bilingual farmworker/immigrant service directory for New York State, collaborations with CCE county associations to expand their capacity to address farmworker needs, and providing student support for farmworker service providers through the Cornell Farmworker Program summer internship program

Engaged in conducting an ongoing needs assessment to identify outreach, education, and research foci that contribute to the improvement of the living and working conditions of migrant, seasonal and year-round workers. Collaborates with Cornell faculty, students, and staff to conduct research and on-farm educational activities to meet the needs of farmworkers and their families. On-farm workshops topics include: Emergency Planning, Chemical Safety on Dairy Farms, and Driving in New York State. The "Emergency Planning" workshop ncludes step-by-step guidance to the administrative processes entailed in transferring power of attorney and child guardianship in the case of a personal medical or legal emergency; recommendations for seeking assistance with taxation processes; rights and responsibilities when interacting with law enforcement officials; and appropriate procedures in the case of an immigration related detention. All workshops are offered in both Spanish and English.

Additional Links

• Research Center/Institute
• Link to CALS Research and Impact
• Link to Research & Expertise Across Cornell

Awards and Honors

• 2012 White House Champions of Change Cesar Chavez Legacy Award (2012) United State White House
• Faculty Mentor for Public Service Scholars (2012) Cornell Public Service Center

Selected Publications

Research Reports

• Dudley, M. J., Kaplan, A., & O'Connor, C. (2011). Consumer Willingness to pay More for Domestic Fair Trade Products.

Others

• Dudley, M. J., & Gabriela, V. (2011). "En Caso de una Detencíon: Como Navegar el Sistema Legal". Cornell Farmworker Program, Ithaca, NY

Presentations and Activities

• Immigration Concerns Among Farmworkers in NYS. March 2012. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Cornell Washington Office. Washington, DC.
• Immigration Concerns Among Farmworkers in NYS. March 2012. Senator Charles Schulmer's Office and Cornell Washington Office. Washington, DC.
• Cornell Farmworker Program's Support for Farmworkers. March 2012. United States Department fo Agriculture. Washington, DC.
• Empowering Farmworkers to Negotiate Their Local Communities. March 2012. United States Office of the White House. Washington DC.

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