The following individuals or organizations are considered "farm labor contractors":
- any person/legal entity who, for a fee, employs people to perform work connected to the production of farm products to, for, or under the direction of a third person
- any person/legal entity who recruits, supplies, or hires workers on behalf of someone engaged in the production of farm products and, for a fee, provides board, lodging, or transportation for those workers, or supervises, times, checks, counts, weighs, or otherwise directs or measures their work, or disburses wage payments to these persons.
Under the California labor Code, any person acting as a farm labor contractor (FLC) is required to be authorized and keep their license current. The Department of Labor Standards Enforcement of the Department of Industrial Relations issues licenses for Farm Labor Contractors.