Thread: Immigrant workers, farmers fearful in wake of AL. law

Immigrant workers, farmers fearful in wake of Alabama immigration law

Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:34 AM EST.
By Kate Snow
Rock Center correspondent

Jerry Danford drives me out back in his white pickup truck to see his 100 acres of cucumber fields. I’m sweating. It’s at least 80 degrees in the shade on this September day, which Danford tells me is pretty standard for southeastern Alabama this time of year. He’s been working in agriculture for nearly 50 years now.

As we park and walk toward the fields, Danford talks about how many workers he needs to harvest all the cucumbers. Danford supplies a lot of the major pickle brand names you’d recognize. All those acres represent $20 million in retail pickle sales.

“Americans lose sight about how we get our pickles in a pickle jar in a grocery story. We forget that this is where it comes from,â€

And these farmers expect us taxpayers to not only subsidize his cheap labor but to throw them a pity party. Good luck with that.

[quote]Since Danford doesn’t think a pool of labor, apart from immigrant workers, exists, he says he won’t be able to plant so much produce anymore.

But what if he paid a higher hourly wage? The going rate now is $10 an hour.

“The [pickle] company wouldn’t buy it from you then,â€

That would be a good job for all of those students and others thatcan't get a job. I use to pick when I was in high school. If you pay a decent wage, people will come and work for you. You also have to get it out there that you need workers.

Is this guy aslo saying that Americans are lazy and drunkards?