Lucky Growers Fined $171K for Exploiting Workers in Deplorable Housing Conditions

Mold, rodents, and missing fire safety—how 30 farmworkers endured squalid conditions while their employer profited. Now, the government is cracking down.

, and Administrator

2026 January 14 . 4:05 AM

1 min read

The image shows a poster with the words "Farm Work Rural Electricity Administration" written in... — The image shows a poster with the words "Farm Work Rural Electricity Administration" written in bold, black lettering against a white background. The poster is framed by a thin black border, and the text is accompanied by a graphic of a farm with a tractor and a barn in the background.

Lucky Growers Fined $171K for Exploiting Workers in Deplorable Housing Conditions

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $171,400 from Lucky Growers Inc. after uncovering serious workplace violations. An investigation revealed unsafe housing conditions and illegal rent charges for 30 employees at the company’s facilities in California and Oregon.

Lucky Growers Inc. operates across 180 acres in San Marcos, California, and Portland, Oregon, employing 79 workers. Inspectors found housing units with structural damage, widespread mould, and infestations of insects and rodents. Essential safety features—such as working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and proper lighting—were also missing.

The company had charged workers rent for these substandard living conditions, violating federal law. The recovered funds will now be returned to the affected employees. A separate investigation in Watsonville, California, identified additional workplace injuries linked to the same employer. This case follows a 2023 debarment of a North Carolina farm labour contractor for wage violations. Federal protections guarantee agricultural workers safe housing and fair pay, yet enforcement remains a challenge. Data shows that 42% of U.S. farmworkers lack work authorisation, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation.

The Department of Labor has confirmed it will expand investigations into other agricultural employers for similar violations. Lucky Growers Inc. must now comply with housing and wage regulations. Workers will receive reimbursements, but broader enforcement efforts continue across the industry.