Plant Nursery Workers Launch 'Planting Justice' Campaign

Effort calls on major retailers to commit to buying from growers who follow worker-developed code of conduct

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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On Valentine's Day, plant nursery workers in Miami-Dade County gathered to launch the 'Planting Justice' campaign, which calls on major retailers like Home Depot, Lowe's, IKEA and Trader Joe's to commit to buying only from growers who follow a worker-developed 'code of conduct.' The proposed standards include heat protections and oversight by an independent monitoring council.

Why it matters

The campaign highlights the 'human cost of houseplants' that most consumers never see, with workers reporting issues like heat exhaustion, pesticide exposure, lack of shade and drinking water. After years of lobbying for government regulation, the workers say they can't afford to wait and are taking their fight directly to the retailers.

The details

The Planting Justice campaign is modeled after the Fair Food Program, which has secured legally-binding agreements with major food corporations to protect farmworkers' rights. At the launch event, workers shared stories of the toll the job has taken on their health, with one worker speaking in Creole about suffering from headaches, dizziness and back pain from working in the scorching sun. A new report by WeCount found that 86% of plant nursery workers surveyed had gotten sick on the job, often from heat and pesticide exposure.

  • The Planting Justice campaign launched on Valentine's Day 2026.

The players

WeCount!

A community organization in Homestead, Florida that is leading the Planting Justice campaign.

Joseph

A plant nursery worker in Miami-Dade County who spoke about the health issues he has faced on the job.

Demos

A national organizing group supporting the Planting Justice campaign.

Partners for Dignity and Rights

A national organizing group supporting the Planting Justice campaign.

Coalition for Immokalee Workers

An organization that pioneered the Fair Food Program, which the Planting Justice campaign is modeled after.

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What they’re saying

“We work very hard, and scorching under the sun is too hard to bear. We feel we are being burned by the sun. We get terrible headaches, dizziness and back pain.”

— Joseph, Plant nursery worker

“I buy houseplants because they bring me joy, but I can't sleep at night knowing that people are being harmed in the process. We can demand that the plants we buy are grown ethically.”

— Janay Blakely, Community member

What’s next

The Planting Justice campaign is calling on major retailers to sign legally-binding contracts to only buy from growers who follow the worker-developed code of conduct. The campaign is modeled after the successful Fair Food Program, which has secured agreements with major food corporations.

The takeaway

This campaign highlights the hidden human toll behind the houseplants that many consumers enjoy, and shows how workers are taking matters into their own hands to demand better working conditions and protections when government regulation has fallen short.