March 24, 2008 10:01 PM
The largest grower of Pennsylvania fresh to market tomatoes says he is getting out of the business because of a lack of migrant farmworkers following the 2007 immigration crackdown. The predicted rush of Americans to the fields has apparently not materialized yet. Hopefully Lou Dobbs and Co. will assist matching willing American workers with labor starved farmers.
By the way, the Pennsylvania pickers earn $16.59 per hour.
The labor shortage is not restricted to PA. I have already reported on the impact on California, Texas, and upstate New York. Now it is being felt in Colorado, one of the hotbeds of anti immigrantism.
In the article about the Colorado situation, it mentions that legislators in Denver are looking to increase numbers of legal H2A workers. Is that just a resolution to send to the federal government or does Colorado have its own migrant worker program? Just curious...
By Nadia March 25, 2008 05:03 PM
No, Colorado does not have an immigration program of its own. Local legislators are looking at ways to influence Federal policy to increase and simplify temporary worker programs. Now, it should be noted that Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado is one of the most hateful opponents of immigration and that just a year ago Colorado passed a We Hate Immigrants law which discourages immigrants from settling in the state. To paraphrase Rev. Wright, in Colorado the chickens are not coming home to roost!
By Pat Young March 25, 2008 10:09 PM
By the way, the next installment of Immigration 101 will look at temporary visas for work.
By Pat Young March 25, 2008 10:10 PM