Lansing, MI - Beginning tomorrow, July 15, 2009, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission will begin accepting testimony regarding the state of migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Michigan. This Thursday, July 16, 2009, the Commission will host the first of a series of visits to local communities to speak with migrant and seasonal farmworkers and others in the agricultural industry. Testimony may be submitted at any of the announced local forums, a Commission meeting scheduled for August 24th in Sparta, or in writing to the Department. All testimony, which will result in a Commission report to be released later this year, must be received by the August 24th Commission meeting.

The first local visit is scheduled for this Thursday in Hart, Michigan. Testimony can be submitted to Commission and Department staff at Hart Migrant Head Start, 2345 East Polk Road, Hart, MI 49420 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. At least four visits to other communities will be announced at later dates.

Anonymous testimony will be accepted. Spanish language translation and child care services will be available for those wishing to testify. In addition to representatives from all aspects of the agricultural industry, the Commission is also accepting testimony from representatives of government and social service agencies.

Written testimony should be submitted between July 15 and August 24, 2009. Please submit to: Harold Core, Director of Public Affairs, MI Department of Civil Rights, 110 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 900, Lansing, MI 48933.

This effort is a collaboration between several entities, including the Department of Civil Rights, Farmworker Legal Services, Telemon Migrant Head Start and the Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service. The purpose of the effort is to ensure that Michigan can continue to attract migrant and seasonal farmworkers, who are critical to the agricultural industry. The agriculture industry is the second largest industry in Michigan, and critical to the state's economy.

For more information on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, visit http://www.michigan.gov/mdcr. For more information on Farmworker Legal Services, visit www.farmworkerlaw.org.