There are more than 400,000 migrant children working the fields
in 48 states across the United States. They begin working as
early as age 12, their days begin as early as 4 a.m. and their
home moves wherever the crop season takes them and their
families. The backbreaking labor and transient lifestyle causes
them to drop out of high school at four times the national rate.
Although other industries have regulations governing the ages,
number of hours and conditions under which children can work,
agriculture has been largely untouched by the child employment
laws that fall under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which was
passed in 1938. The Harvest/La Cosecha, a documentary directed
by U. Roberto (Robin) Romano and produced by the nonprofit
production company Shine Global, is trying to change this. The
movie trails three children and their families as they follow
the crop season through Texas, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee,
Mississippi and beyond. These children, Victor, Zumela and
Perla, often work as much as 30 ho