Thread: YOUR CROPS WILL ROT!! ....

... or maybe they won't...

A new study shows we could double farm workers' pay (bet some college kids might start picking crops for $18+) at little to no cost to the consumer. It also shows that the mythical labor shortages ... are mythical.

Absurd Report Story
Link to the study

Among the findings:

# Production of fruits and vegetables have been increasing. In particular, plantings of very-labor-intensive crops such as cherries and strawberries have grown by more than 20 percent in just five years.

# The average farm worker makes $9.06 an hour, compared to $16.75 for non-farm production workers.

# Real wages for farm workers increased one-half of one percent (.5%) a year on average between 2000 and 2006. If there were a shortage, wages would be rising much more rapidly.

# Farm worker earnings have risen slower in California and Florida (the states with the most fruit and vegetable production) than in the United States as a whole.

# The average household spends only about $1 a day on fresh fruits and vegetables.

# Labor costs comprise only 6 percent of the price consumers pay for fresh produce. Thus, if farm wages were allowed to rise 40 percent, and if all the costs were passed on to consumers, the cost to the average household would be only about $8 a year.

# Mechanization could offset labor higher labor costs. After the “Braceroâ€

All I can say in response to "Your Crops Will Rot!!" is ......

There are plenty of ways to get the harvest in. The real threat to American agriculture is ultra cheap labor in Third World Countries. That is why we need to mechanize now to keep US agriculture competitive.

Originally Posted by Captainron

There are plenty of ways to get the harvest in. The real threat to American agriculture is ultra cheap labor in Third World Countries. That is why we need to mechanize now to keep US agriculture competitive.

Some show last night interviewed a lettuce farmer that couldn't get enough workers. He moved his entire operation to Mexico. He was whining about having to start over.

I say, let him go.

Originally Posted by magyart

Originally Posted by Captainron

There are plenty of ways to get the harvest in. The real threat to American agriculture is ultra cheap labor in Third World Countries. That is why we need to mechanize now to keep US agriculture competitive.

Some show last night interviewed a lettuce farmer that couldn't get enough workers. He moved his entire operation to Mexico. He was whining about having to start over.

I say, let him go.

More like he couldn't get enough at bottom dollar wages.

I'm a little tired of hearing about lettuce -

My crops won't rot, I'm picking green beans right now, zuchinni is just starting, some tomatoes left and finished with the mustard greens.

I think they are already playing with us on the price of food and especially fresh veggies. We will be eating from our freezer and jars this winter. I wish everyone could do that.

The consumer drives the price or produce and they know it. They don't want a big chunk hacked out of their profit margin.

Dixie

Grow your own Victory Garden....or if you can not grow...which some people say that have no green thumb...and you have a friend that can grow...then barter....or help ...whatever....We are all going to need to do this if we ever want things to change....We control the market ...not this kings and queens...Find local farmers...or farmers markets....
And don't buy Chinese ....buy used or American or just learn to do without...and save money...and SAVE OUR COUNTRY

Originally Posted by nntrixie

I'm a little tired of hearing about lettuce -

My crops won't rot, I'm picking green beans right now, zuchinni is just starting, some tomatoes left and finished with the mustard greens.

I think they are already playing with us on the price of food and especially fresh veggies. We will be eating from our freezer and jars this winter. I wish everyone could do that.

I hear ya nntrixie! When you grow it and put it up yourself, not only does it taste better, you don't have to worry with hearing about a recall two hours after you eat it!

Originally Posted by redbadger

Grow your own Victory Garden....or if you can not grow...which some people say that have no green thumb...and you have a friend that can grow...then barter....or help ...whatever....We are all going to need to do this if we ever want things to change....We control the market ...not this kings and queens...Find local farmers...or farmers markets....
And don't buy Chinese ....buy used or American or just learn to do without...and save money...and SAVE OUR COUNTRY

What happened to the country of origin label requirement that I heard talks of earlier this year? That's something i'd love to see.