In some of the most agriculturally rich regions in the U.S., researchers from San Diego State University are working to understand how climate change is impacting heat in rural areas and the farmworkers who toil in them. They're putting sensors on workers to measure their heart rates and core body temperatures while they work and evaluating environmental temperatures to assess occupational heat risk. Rising temperatures, decreased water supplies and shifting crop patterns are changing microclimates and increasing exposure to extreme heat for farmworkers, who are already among the most vulnerable to it. The project aims to map rural heat islands to better protect California farmworkers from scorching heat.

With a significant rise in the number of agricultural guest workers, California regulators have struggled to ensure that farms are providing safe housing for them. The state's Department of Housing and Community Development employs three inspectors to oversee all employer-provided dwellings. The department conducts routine housing inspections before workers move in, which makes it difficult to catch such issues as overcrowding. In a few cases, inspectors awarded permits to employer-provided housing after conducting a video call. Agency officials said increased state funding has allowed them to step up enforcement. They say more inspectors are being hired and that they are striking the appropriate balance between protecting workers and ensuring due process for businesses.