The number of farmworkers in need of housing exceeds the number of available housing units. The only national data on hired farmworker housing shows that in 1980, available units could house only about 30 percent of the migrant farmworkers in need of housing. Hired farmworkers, particularly migrants, also face barriers to obtaining housing in the local private housing markets. Small rural communities may not have enough rental units available, or they may be unavailable to migrant farmworkers because they cannot provide deposits, qualify in credit checks, or make long-term rental commitments.
Some health concerns are clearly attributable to the occupational hazards of farm work.
Dermatitis and respiratory problems caused by natural fungi, dusts, and pesticides are common. Lack of safe drinking water contributes to dehydration and heat stroke. The absence of toilet facilities leads to urinary retention, which is in turn linked to urinary tract infection. Farmworkers suffer such infections more often than the general population. Migrant workers don't generally earn enough to pay for health care, and they almost never have health insurance.