Until recently, American farmworkers have been poor and unorganized. As a result, they have been powerless to protect themselves from different forms of discrimination and exploitation. The rights of farmworkers have been traded off by social reformers in State legislatures as well as the Congress. In the last few years, this has begun to change because of intensive farmworker organizing efforts. This paper reviews the economic status of migrant farmworkers, placing major emphasis on their relationship to the law. Topics covered are: key Federal and State statutes affecting farmworkers; regulations; cases; the relationship of farmworkers to the justice system; economic disadvantagement and legal discrimination; and the effectiveness of agribusiness efforts. (NQ)