Thread: Industry sets hopes on AgJobs proposal

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nati ... gjobs.html

Industry sets hopes on AgJobs proposal

By Jerry Kammer
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

June 30, 2007

WASHINGTON – As agricultural lobbyist Craig Regelbrugge sorted through the rubble of Thursday's collapse of immigration legislation in the Senate, he clung to hope that his industry could salvage its effort to ensure itself a work force to harvest fruits and vegetables.

(photo) LAURA EMBRY / Union-Tribune
Although the immigration bill has unraveled, California's two senators and farm lobbyists hope to revive the AgJobs proposal, which provides for legalization and guest-worker programs tailored to the agriculture industry. "This is going to be a very difficult agricultural year without some methodology to legalize agriculture workers," Sen. Dianne Feinstein said.

He and other farm lobbyists, along with California's two senators, are hoping Congress might consider narrower legalization and guest-worker programs designed specifically to help the agriculture industry.

Given the decisiveness of the defeat of the broader bill, their battle appears uphill. However, they remain upbeat.

“Everybody understands that there isn't a domestic ag work force ready and willing to come in if only the immigrants would go away,â€

With somewhere between 12,000,000 and 30,000,000 illegals in the U.S., WHY DO WE NEED MORE AG WORKERS?????????????????????????????

Originally Posted by girlygirl369

With somewhere between 12,000,000 and 30,000,000 illegals in the U.S., WHY DO WE NEED MORE AG WORKERS?????????????????????????????

Great Question girlygirl369!!

I could if they needed some help AFTER we deport the 12 to 30 million .. but whining before hand just doesn't wash does it?

Hey ... Craig ... pay some decent salaries for this hard valuable work and watch the Americans flock to your fields, orchards and barns!

A start would be:

JUST TELL THE AMERICANS ABOUT THE WORK OPPORTUNITY?!

Ever think of that Craig Regelbrugge?

PAY FOR THEIR TRANSPORTATION FROM KANSAS OR NEW YORK JUST LIKE YOU PAY FOR IT FROM MEXICO AND GUATEMALA?

Ever think of THAT Craig Regelbrugge?

PAY FOR THEIR ACCOMMODATIONS JUST LIKE YOU PAY FOR IT FOR FOREIGN WORKERS?

Ever think of THAT Craig Regelbrugge?

Try it! You might like it!

Otherwise shut your trap. We're TIRED of listening to your whinings.

Engineeering students, particularly in agricultural regions of the US are busy designing mechanical harvesting devices. The mechanical harvester for sweet cherries, designed by students at Washington State University, is reportedly capable of replacing approximately 15 workers. Harvesting machines are easily capable of being utilized around the clock, therefore farms will be able to share equipment during peak harvest time.

Perhaps entrepreneurs will buy a machine and then contract to harvest the produce of several farms in a given location and then move on to next area--or to the next variety-- ready to harvest.

For many orchard crops machines that shake the trunks of trees have long been a potential option to replace handpicking. Nets are placed below the canopy of the tree, but well off the ground. Other methods include highly flexible wands that comb through the branches and knock fruit off.

Innovation is a hall mark of American society, but often is not implemented until the need becomes inescapable. For example, front loading washing machines save considerably on water but did not find widespread acceptance until enough communities faced water shortages and prices for water rose. It wouldn't surprise me if farmworker groups have opposed mechanization that would reduce the need for human labor. There are sometimes adjustments necessary in the market place but these can also work to the advantage of mechanical harvesting.

For in the ground or root vegetables perhaps a conveyor system moving trays of plants to an airconditioned harvesting station will become a new trend. Greenhouses, hydroponic gardening, multiple levels of plants in trays...Western society is always on the verge of the next technological revolution.

An onion harvester:
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6484810.html
Asparagus harvesting:
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/vegetable/Reso ... spmech.htm
University of California Ag Program:
http://vric.ucdavis.edu/
Washington State University Ag Program:
http://www.precisionag.prosser.wsu.edu/

Outstanding post, Judy! These people have been knowingly hiring illegal workers ever since 1986. If they want to be rewarded with an AgJobs bill, they should accept substantial fines for their illegal behavior.

Better yet, if it is true that there "isn't a domestic ag work force ready and willing to come in," then transplant the farms to countries where people are anxious to do the work. It won't hurt the U.S. and it will help the other nations to develop.

It just boggles my mind when I see supposedly free market economists argue for an AgJobs bill. If these really are jobs Americans won't do, then it seems clear that economic theory says that these are precisely the types of jobs that we should be sending to foreign countries!

Then they say, "well, the U.S. makes more $ by keeping the profits here." But one problem is that the healthcare of the workers and the education and healthcare of their children is subsidized by the U.S. taxpayers.

Someone recently put up an article about automation of farms!

I think it's about time! This would stop the influx of illegal behavior into our country as well.

I expect that Dan Lundgren R-CA, will be one of the industries point men on this in congress. He recently had a town hall here where he floated his piece of legislation for workers. Although he was not recieved well in this regard, I believe he will forge ahead with it

We can only hope that the big businesses that hire lobbiests wake up and start using automation instead of just whining about the need for foreign labor. Automation can be a win win for americans.

But AgJobs has California's two senators on its side. One of them, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, is pledging to bring it back to life, perhaps by attaching it to the farm bill or another piece of legislation.

Feinstein and Craig of Idaho are not going to give up on this. We need to keep a close eye on the AgJobs program. Every member of the U.S. Congress wants a legacy, and this is the one Feinstein wants.

Sen. Durbin (D-IL) is looking to the DREAM Act for his legacy. We need to stay on top of both of these amnesty programs!