What North America can learn

The Dutch see investing in farm workers’ rights as a strategy that empowers the agricultural sector domestically and throughout Europe.

AALSMEER, Netherlands — Driving past Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, you will see a flat, almost submerged region of Holland. The Aalsmeer area, known for its canals and below-sea-level elevation, is also a global greenhouse hub — home to high-value crops like floriculture, fruits, and vegetables.

Within minutes, rows of greenhouses appear along highways, near the airport, and even next to pastures with dairy cattle. Their strategic location — close to the world’s largest horticultural export hub and the Port of Rotterdam — maximizes efficiency.

The Netherlands is known for top-tier production despite limited resources — with 66 percent of the land in the Netherlands used for agriculture purposes, it struggles to fill these jobs.

However, unlike North America, where seasonal farm labor is often an invisible, foreign workforce, Dutch agriculture primarily relies on workers from within the strategic coalition of the European Union. This makes the experience more akin to crossing a state border in the U.S. — a process known as EU intermobility — rather than navigating the complexities of undocumented migration. In the U.S., federal government data estimates that 42 percent of farmworkers lack work authorization.

Yet, that’s not to say the Netherlands isn’t without difficulties. For example, a severe housing crisis threatens the well-being of farm laborers here, as the country struggles to accommodate both domestic and EU workers.

Prioritizing seasonal workers’ rights is not a new concept. The Dutch see investment in these workers as a strategy to reduce migration in their densely populated country. By offering training, skills, and financial support, they empower seasonal workers to return home with valuable knowledge and resources from the Netherlands.

Leading the future of farm labor

With the Netherlands’ greenhouse sector split between 55 percent floriculture and 45 percent vegetable production, labor issues have become a pressing concern and are forcing growers to innovate.

Historically, workers lived in old farmhouses near greenhouses. Today, to attract and retain a workforce, farms and employment agencies provide housing, though it is not required by the government.

To ensure workers return home with valuable skills, the Netherlands invests in their professional development.

Almost 70,000 of the agriculture workers work under glass in greenhouse production, said Jessie Schevel, specialist for public, government and international affairs for Glastuinbouw Nederland. The organization represents Dutch greenhouse growers of floriculture and horticulture crops.

Schevel emphasizes that supporting workers benefits both their home and host countries.

“The rights that apply to Dutch employees should also apply to migrant workers — when it comes to firing, legal protection, and overall safety. There shouldn’t be a difference between Dutch and international workers,” Schevel said.

Growers, government programs, and organizations offer pension schemes, English and Dutch language classes, collective labor agreements, and investments in circular migration — helping workers apply their skills in their home countries.

“If they return home, they shouldn’t just know how to pick a tomato. They should gain skills that contribute to their local economy,” he said.

Dutch grower organizations believe limiting both legal and illegal migration is necessary to protect living standards and resources in their densely populated country.

For many industry leaders, the goal is to invest in seasonal workers. “If workers want to become agronomists, learn logistics, or even train as hairdressers — it doesn’t matter. We invest in them personally,” Schevel added.

At the same time, they recognize that reducing migration requires significant investment — jointly with the government — in greenhouse automation and digitization to replace labor.

Seasonal labor is organized through temporary agencies, which are sought by farmers to recruit, hire, and manage seasonal workers. These agencies often handle housing, transportation, and payroll, though conditions vary. For example, NLjobs has offices across the Netherlands and recruiters throughout Europe. Intermediaries and labor brokers, from the home country of workers, often unregulated, act as middlemen, connecting workers with farms.

This can lead to less regulation and oversight, sometimes resulting in labor exploitation concerns.

Europe’s migration patterns

In North America, seasonal worker migration follows a south-to-north pattern, with workers from Mexico and Central America filling jobs in U.S. fruit, vegetable, and dairy farms.

Europe’s migration history is more complex. Polish workers have long traveled seasonally to France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Romanians and Bulgarians form the backbone of Poland and Spain’s agricultural workforce. In southern Spain, Moroccan workers harvest strawberries for the world’s top berry-producing region.

The EU employs approximately 8.7 million agricultural workers across its 27 member countries. Agriculture is a particularly significant employer in Romania, accounting for 20 percent of the total workforce, as well as in Bulgaria accounting for almost 17 percent of total employment, Greece having almost 10 percent, and Poland with 9 percent, said a report from the European Federal of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Union.

The number of seasonal workers in the EU is estimated to range from 1 million to 4 million. The European Commission provides the lower estimate, while the trade union EFFAT suggests a higher figure. Exact numbers are difficult to determine due to legal cross-border travel within the EU.

Across Europe, worker treatment varies widely, with each country having its own historical complexities and modern advancements in how migrant workers are cared for, supported, and the rights granted to them. Some Scandinavian countries uphold strong labor protections, while southern nations such as Spain face reports of undocumented labor, poor living conditions, and labor exploitation.

The undeclared and underdeclared workforce makes up 32 percent of the agricultural labor force in the EU, with a significant portion attributed to illegal immigration from other continents, making it challenging for governments to track.

An Oxfam International report suggests that about 1 in 4 workers in the European agriculture sector are migrants from outside the EU, but the actual number could be higher.

Despite different historical contexts, Europe and North America share the same fundamental issue: securing a reliable agricultural workforce

The hypocrisy of farm labor policy

Farm labor policy is deeply politicized in the Netherlands, as local communities benefit economically from greenhouses yet resist efforts to house migrant workers, a hypocritical dynamic across global politics.

“People in regions like Westland and Venlo appreciate the economic boost from greenhouses but don’t want migrant workers living nearby,” Schevel said.

With the rise of anti-immigration parties, the Netherlands faces political pressure to limit migration, despite EU agreements allowing free movement within the bloc. The Party for Freedom (PVV) — a nationalist, right-wing populist party — holds a majority among the 15 parties in the Dutch government.

Any closing of borders would be detrimental to the export-driven nation of the Netherlands, Schevel mentioned, but that vocal opinion is not always reflected in a vote.

At the local level, policies restrict zoning for worker housing, with municipal governments limiting rental facilities, effectively blocking migration.

Several municipalities have implemented regulations requiring homebuyers to occupy the purchased property themselves. This measure, known as the “self-occupancy obligation,” or zelfbewoningsplicht. “When you buy a house, you must live in it yourself — you’re not allowed to rent it out,” said Annemieke de Man.

De Man is the Program Manager Housing International Employees for Greenport Aalsmeer, an industry wide thinktank for horticulture and economic development.

This puts farmers who hope to be a part of the solution, for both agriculture and housing shortages at a disadvantage, preventing them from building worker housing on their own land sometimes, she said.

Once houses, apartment buildings, and complexes are built, robust and often fair-wage deductions help cover rent, community housing managers, 24/7 security at some locations, and other amenities provided to workers from around the world who come to work in the city.

Housing: The core issue

The Netherlands’ “Green Heart” — pastureland between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht — is prime real estate yet fiercely protected, exacerbating both housing and labor shortages.

Most migrant workers stay in the Netherlands for six to seven months before returning home, only to come back the following season. With a tight labor market, employer-provided housing is a necessity.

“If international workers are left to find housing on their own, they’re more likely to end up in unsafe, illegal living situations,” de Man said.

Unlike in the U.S., where farmworkers are typically employed directly by farms or supporting businesses, Dutch agricultural labor is managed by 20,000 temporary agencies. However, only about 2,000 of these agencies operate under official oversight, leaving room for exploitation.

Globally, seasonal worker housing varies — from farm-provided housing and employer-run apartment complexes to workers being forced to find their own homes, sometimes ending up in slums. However, some business partnerships invest in housing complexes to ensure a stable workforce.

Near Schiphol Airport, a housing complex called FlowerTower provides housing for 300 workers, complete with shuttle services, bicycles for commuting, and flexible living options. Projects like these are co-funded by farmers and shipping warehouses who need the labor, and temporary agencies who organize the employment of seasonal workers.

De Mann said, “There are many advantages to this system — workers don’t need cars to commute, they can bike or walk, and they have all necessary facilities nearby.”

However, unions argue that international workers are still too dependent on their employers or temp agencies for housing and job security. One key policy ensures that employment and housing contracts are separate, preventing homelessness between jobs.

“You must provide them with two separate contracts and allow them enough time to find another job if needed,” she said.

Housing projects for international employees are expanding — not only near export hubs but also in field vegetable operations. Greenport Aalsmeer is one of many organizations promoting housing development while bridging opposing viewpoints in government.

“The whole market is a market of shortages. If you have to provide them housing, if you recruit them, then we believe we should take care of them all the way,” de Mann said.

This is the last in a four-part series of on-the-ground reporting from Europe, exploring the demands of consumers, the actions of policymakers, and the perspectives of agricultural producers working within the diverse, parliamentary framework of the European Union.

Jake Zajkowski is a freelance agriculture journalist covering farm policy, global food systems and the rural Midwest. Raised on vegetable farms in northern Ohio, he now studies at Cornell University.