By Julianne DeGuardi

As part of her ongoing research into the story of migrant farm workers in the North Country dairy industry, Weave News reporter Julianne DeGuardi spoke with another local reporter who has done extensive work on the topic: David Sommerstein of North Country Public Radio (NCPR). Enjoy the latest installment in our Interweaving series!

By Julianne DeGuardi

Migration is never an isolated phenomenon; it is always situated within a larger macro political-economic framework. Migration rates from Mexico to the US within the last 20 years must be examined within the context of the political-economic relationship between Mexico and the US from the late 1980s to the present. Although there has been a high demand for low wage migrant labor within the US, especially in the dairy industry, migration cannot solely be explained by the demand for labor in the destination country. Migratory trends are equally propelled by the political, social, and economic situation in the emitter country.