Thread: Ag Jobs: Adding immigration to federal farm legislation

Adding immigration to federal farm legislation
Sunday, October 21, 2007

Immigration debate could reach farm bill

By PHILIP BRASHER
Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON — The Senate has had enough trouble trying to write a farm bill as it stands, but there’s one issue that could complicate matters further — immigration.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pledged in June to try to add provisions to the farm bill for farm workers who are here illegally.

Now, backers of the farm worker legislation, known as the AgJOBS bill, are trying to round up the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

The legislation could benefit produce growers and dairy farms as well as custom harvesters and seed companies, who rely on foreign workers to detassel corn.

Under the bill, immigrants could obtain legal status if they have been working on farms for at least two years. More than 800,000 workers, plus their spouses and minor children, could qualify. The legislation also would overhaul a visa system that farmers say is too restrictive and costly.

“It would provide American agriculture with a stable work force that is treated fairly and ensure a productive agricultural sector,â€

I wonder what the teenage offspring of past illegal immigrants are occupied with during the summer? The opportunity to earn $50-100 dollars per day should be preferable to: hangin' in the park, watching youtube or being in a streetgang.

I agree some tough choices are ahead for farmers, but I don't think it is going to be devastating:
http://www.worldagexpo.com/

[quote="zeezil"]Adding immigration to federal farm legislation
Sunday, October 21, 2007

Immigration debate could reach farm bill

By PHILIP BRASHER
Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON — The Senate has had enough trouble trying to write a farm bill as it stands, but there’s one issue that could complicate matters further — immigration.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pledged in June to try to add provisions to the farm bill for farm workers who are here illegally.

Now, backers of the farm worker legislation, known as the AgJOBS bill, are trying to round up the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

The legislation could benefit produce growers and dairy farms as well as custom harvesters and seed companies, who rely on foreign workers to detassel corn.

Under the bill, immigrants could obtain legal status if they have been working on farms for at least two years. More than 800,000 workers, plus their spouses and minor children, could qualify. The legislation also would overhaul a visa system that farmers say is too restrictive and costly.

“It would provide American agriculture with a stable work force that is treated fairly and ensure a productive agricultural sector,â€

How things have changed...I lived in Illinois for many years and every summer High School Kids and College Students were the corn detassling crew.It was a big deal for these students because it paid very well.........it helped the college students pay for their education.....

So have the farmers replaced them too with cheaper Illegal Alien labor ?

Once they have become legal they won't stay in the fields, thus we will need another amnesty. NO this will not work. The only worker program that worked was the one we had in the fifties. They came worked and went home went the season was over. This is the ONLY program that would make the American citizen happy.