1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

We demand immediate federal protections for agricultural workers against hazardous air quality from wildfire smoke. The crisis is here. This week, thick smoke from British Columbia wildfires plunged air quality across the Northeast to hazardous levels. In Wayne County, NY, apple workers labored outdoors—and slept in employer-provided housing without air conditioning—while the Air Quality Index exceeded 500, a level the EPA classifies as “Hazardous” for everyone. More than 100 million Americans across 18 states are currently under air quality alerts. These events are not anomalies: wildfire seasons are now over two months longer than in the 1970s due to climate change and forest mismanagement. Yet, no federal or state rules protect agricultural workers from wildfire smoke outside of California, Oregon, and Washington. Agricultural workers are among the highest-risk groups for occupational exposure to air pollution. They cannot work from home, cannot stay indoors, and often lack access to N95 respirators or clean air shelters. To those who say this is a state issue: Smoke crosses borders—Wayne County, NY, is 2,500 miles from British Columbia. To those who say it's too costly: the cost of inaction is paid in workers' lungs, lives, and families. To those who say employers will comply voluntarily: they have not. The Farmworker Smoke and Excessive Heat Protection Act (S.2571) would mandate N95 respirators, water, cooling facilities, and paid sick days when air quality reaches dangerous levels. It is common-sense, life-saving legislation. This is a grassroots demand. Faith groups, labor unions, and environmental justice organizations are mobilizing. In 2026, voters are watching—and they will remember who stood with the people who harvest our food. Every worker deserves to breathe safely.