This paper analyses the well-being of farm workers in the USA using measures reflecting short-term and long-term perspectives. Three subgroups are differentiated: settled farm workers who live and work locally within the USA; "international shuttlers" who work in the USA but maintain permanent residence in the origin country; and migrant workers who are not international shuttlers. The National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) data for 1993-2000 are used in the study. Results reveal that, with the exception of the provision of work-related health insurance or care, international shuttlers generally do not receive other benefits (from their employers, through public services, or through long-term opportunities for betterment) to enhance their well-being. Further, an exploration of their actual use of health care when injured or ill shows that even in this aspect, they are more likely to be among those who suffer the long-term consequences that the lack of health care implies. In comparison, settled farm workers are more likely to receive employer-provided benefits as well as public assistance, although even this population is less likely to participate in public assistance programmes than is possible. Finally, the results show that during the 1990s, a period of prosperity in the USA, the likelihood of receipt of employer-provided benefits by farm workers declined across all forms of benefits.