Thread: Immigration Reform Could Impact Farm Labor Costs

Prof. Phillip Martin (UC Davis) is an invaluable source of information on US agriculture and labor trends. However some things I might mention that this article doesn't. The US is already losing out to imports of produce because international agribusiness in Latin America is either paying workers a few dollars a day, or has switched to machinery. Secondly, US farms already have a labor shortage because the illegal immigrants don't want to do that kind of work.

But I am encouraged that this article mentions mechanization. Prof. Martin gets it, but whether the agricultural associations do, is another story. Mechanization would never be a smooth transition, since labor saving advances never have been. But without them US farming will lose out anyway.

The third point, not mentioned, is consumer demand for organic produce is also driving a demand for human labor. The boutique style of organic produce growing resists mechanical influences. Just another lib trend undermining this country!


Immigration reform could impact farm labor costs
http://deltafarmpress.com/management/im ... abor-costs
Pat Bailey, UC Davis
Jun. 8, 2011 10:07am

Immigration reform and stricter enforcement of current immigration laws could significantly boost labor costs for California’s $20 billion fresh fruit, nut and vegetable crops.


Immigration reform and stricter enforcement of current immigration laws could significantly boost labor costs for California’s $20 billion fresh fruit, nut and vegetable crops, according to agricultural economists at UC Davis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This, in turn, would likely prompt the industry to adjust by increasing mechanization and introducing harvesting aids to boost laborers’ productivity, they predict. Imports may also rise.

“California’s produce industry depends on a constant influx of new, foreign-born laborers, and more than half of those are unauthorized laborers, primarily from Mexico,â€

Secondly, US farms already have a labor shortage because the illegal immigrants don't want to do that kind of work.