Thread: Farm groups are optimistic on overhaul of immigration

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/ ... 7_farm.htm
January 30, 2007

Farm groups are optimistic on overhaul of immigration

A coalition of groups representing farm workers and employers says those it represents have the best opportunity in years to win congressional approval of legislation overhauling immigration rules for migrant workers, either as a stand-alone bill or part of a wider immigration bill.

Supporters of the changes say their optimism springs from the combination of Democrats controlling Congress and rising pressure on lawmakers representing agricultural districts to alleviate a farm laborer shortage as increasing momentum for the Agriculture Jobs Opportunity and Benefits Act (AgJOBS).

“The flow of workers is being constrained; labor enforcement is making that worse, so labor shortages are just getting worse,” said Craig Regelbrugge of the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform, whose members include apple- and orange-growers, milk producers and nursery associations.

Groups representing apple-growers and wineries in New York, for example, expressed disappointment when several New York House GOP sponsors of AgJOBS voted for a 2005 enforcement-only bill authored by former House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) that included criminal penalties for those who help workers who enter the country illegally, but no temporary-worker program.

The president of the New York Apple Association, Jim Allen, said members of farm groups in his state were “shocked” when Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-N.Y.), a longtime supporter of New York agriculture, signed a letter with Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) that called for tighter border-enforcement measures.

“It’s accurate that they weren’t happy with the vote,” said an aide to Kuhl, who, after hearing criticism of his vote for the Sensenbrenner bill, pressed GOP House leaders in October to pass legislation creating a stand-alone temporary-worker program for agriculture. On Jan. 11, Kuhl made the same request of Democratic leaders.

One agriculture lobbyist credited Kuhl’s successful reelection bid to support from farmers in favor of the temporary-worker program. AgJOBS sponsors and New York House Republicans James Walsh and Tom Reynolds also faced some criticism for voting for the 2005 bill. All three won bids for reelection in tight races last fall.

Regelbrugge sees two possible scenarios for AgJOBS this year. The bill could become part of a wider immigration overhaul, similar to what happened when Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) added the bill in an amendment to immigration legislation passed by the Senate last year. Besides Feinstein, sponsors included Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), and Reps. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) and Adam Putnam (R-Fla.).

If efforts to craft a wider immigration package fail, Regelbrugge said a scaled-down package for agriculture might still be able to move through Congress given support for the bill from farm employers and workers. While organized labor has been divided on the issue of temporary-worker programs, United Farm Workers has endorsed AgJOBS, giving the legislation crucial support from the farm labor group organized by César Chávez.

The key to passage, supporters said, is whether enough members are willing to approve legislation that does not require farm laborers who have entered the U.S. illegally to return to their home countries first. For example, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) supports creating a guest-worker program, but opposes AgJOBS, saying it grants amnesty to aliens who entered the U.S. illegally.

Farm groups counter that the path to legal status is conditional. AgJOBS would provide a “blue card” to undocumented farm laborers already in the U.S., but only if they pay a $500 fine and provide proof that they have worked in American agriculture for at least 150 workdays over the last two years. Blue-card holders could apply for a green card to get permanent legal status, but only if they continue to work in agriculture for several years. The bill would also change rules on the current program that allows farm workers to enter the country on an H-2A visa.

Supporters also argue it is increasingly difficult to find farm workers, which will increase pressure on members such as Goodlatte, who has apple-producers in his district, to approve a temporary-worker program. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture released in October, the number of hired farm laborers fell 5 percent from the previous year while farm wages increased by 4 percent. The average farm laborer wage could rise above $10 an hour when final statistics for 2006 are calculated, according to an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, Stefphanie Gambrell.

Some lobbyists say Goodlatte perhaps could be convinced to support the bill, although a spokeswoman said the bill would have to be monumentally changed to earn Goodlatte’s support. They are more optimistic about winning support from Blue Dog Democrats such as Reps. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.) and Marion Berry (D-Ark.), who both voted for the 2005 bill.

Farm groups themselves are divided on AgJOBS, as the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has not endorsed the legislation because of opposition to a provision intended to raise wages for farm laborers. AFBF supported an amendment sponsored by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) to the immigration bill last year that would have nullified this provision, and AFBF Director of Congressional Affairs Austin Perez said the group would seek to amend the bill again this year.

AFBF is supportive of a guest-worker program, however, and AFBF President Bob Stallman at the group’s annual meeting in January said the chances for agriculture reform have improved with Democrats in control of the House.

The farmers need to wake up and mechanize! There's not excuse for breaking the law!

Most farms are run by big business and can afford to automate their processes if they wanted. The only issue would be that the intial investment would slow profits for a couple of years. Workers do not stay on the farms and leave to do other things. How many workers are we going to admit to satisfy the profits of the big farm owners? If they would automate and hire workers at a fair wage and benefits they would find Americans who will do the job.

Guest workers for ag jobs would not be a problem for me if they matched them to an employer and they went home when the job was done.
If they do not go home and are found in the work force doing other jobs, they will be deported and not allowed back.
If they come back without permission it will be a felony and will receive jali tme.
Absolutly no citizenship for AG or low skilled workers. period.

Vicky,
Just a thought, But I was wondering how someone from a country like India or any where else in the world that makes such low wages in their country can afford and education in America?