Immigration
Ag industry groups recognize the crucial role that immigrant workers play in the U.S. food system. They emphasize that these workers often take on physically demanding jobs that many American-born workers are unwilling to do.
The debate over immigration continues to be an issue in Washington. However, the Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows economists are still skeptical it’s enough for Congress to act on immigration reform.
Johannes and Anthonia Verhaar also face up to six years in prison.
Paul Wenger tells congressional committee, “E-Verify without a workable, economical way to ensure a legal agricultural work force will be a disaster for American agriculture.”
AUDIE CORNISH: In Kansas, a coalition of conservative farm businessmen and liberal social advocates is pushing for an unusual law, one that would create a state-sanctioned work program benefitting illegal immigrants. Peggy Lowe, of Harvest Public Media, reports that their fiercest opponent is the Kansas politician who wrote Arizona’s tough immigration law.PEGGY LOWE: It’s a long way from Forget-Me-Not Farms to the Kansas state capitol. But T.J. Curtis drove the 300 miles because he needs more workers for his family’s dairy farm in the far western part of the state.
A medida que el verano se puso más caluroso, las leyes de inmigración también lo hicieron, dando a conocer dos novedades.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents to California Farm Bureau Federation survey experienced labor challenges in 2012.
Farm groups agreed on a rolling visa limit for immigrant farmworkers and minimum wages for laborers, resolving sticking points on the path toward revised U.S. immigration law.
“The approach in this agreement is better for employers, better for employees, better for law enforcement, better for the economy – better for America.” --Jeryr Kozak, NMPF.
Dairies struggle with U.S. immigration laws that were designed for seasonal farm laborers instead of the year-round, seven-days-a-week ones they need.
NMPF CEO Jerry Kozak says agreement is positive step forward in securing agricultural work force.
Bipartisan bill’s ‘blue card’ would allow farmers to keep their existing workforce.
Mooney calls for immigration reform, points to lack of viable visa program for the dairy industry.
Despite years of debate in Congress and the country, the Senate immigration bill is really just the beginning salvo.
The state’s $43.5 billion-a-year farm industry depends on a shadow workforce of undocumented Mexican immigrants that’s eroding under economic improvements back home and tighter U.S. border controls.
Applications for Farm Labor Housing assistance are due Sept. 13, 2013.
Dairy group unhappy that “elected officials could not set aside partisan politics to address the dysfunctional policy” of the U.S. immigration system.
Western United Dairymen joins the Agriculture Workforce Coalition in urging legislators to fix agriculture’s workforce problems before mandating e-Verify.
Six veterinarians who say they were recruited from Mexico to work at the Idaho dairy farm as animal scientists, but were instead forced to work as laborers, milking cows and shoveling manure for about a year.
Puerto Ricans could ease South Dakota dairy labor shortage
Changing demographics in rural America present on-going challenges
More than two dozen protesters on Monday showed support for two immigrant dairy farmers arrested after marching to a Ben & Jerry’s factory to call for better pay and living conditions on farms that provide milk to the ice cream maker.
Growers and dairies lobby for a path to legalization for the undocumented workers who power their businesses.
A judge has accepted a guilty plea in an investigation of illegal labor at dairies in Michigan’s Thumb region.
Earlier this week President Trump hosted a roundtable of farmers at the White House to discuss issues facing agriculture.
The American Dream is alive and well at Bear Creek Dairy L.P. in Iowa.
To help quantify the importance of immigrant workers to dairy production, National Milk Producers Federation will survey dairy farmers about their labor needs.
But President says he’ll take action before the end of the year.
But farmers must call their legislators to urge passage of reform.
Rep. David Valadao, a Central Valley dairy producer, says addressing immigration reform in the House cannot wait.