When essential workers are mentioned, health care, grocery and retail employees often come to mind, but people may not think of farmworkers, particularly those who are seasonal workers or migrant workers. Proteus Inc., a nonprofit that supports agricultural workers in getting access to health care, education, employment, training and housing services, is currently celebrating National Farmworker Awareness Week through March 31. The week of action offers various engagement opportunities to highlight farmworker issues in Iowa communities and honor the important contributions farmworkers make in our daily lives. Of the more than 2.5 million U.S. farmworkers, 200,000 are H-2A Visa temporary agricultural workers, while 53% of farmworkers have work authorization such as U.S. citizenship, legal permanent residency or a visa. They work in planting, cultivating and harvesting crops; poultry and meat processing; nursery and greenhouse work; packing and food processing; and sharecropping. Eight out of 10 farmworkers are Hispanic or Latino. Information about volunteer and donation opportunities can be found on the Proteus website.