Thread: Prisoners help farmers harvest crops.

First off, only a small percentage of our farming is done by 'American farmers' - in the sense of the family farm. The largest percentage of farming is owned by big agribusiness. When our politicians get up on the floor and wax so sympathically about the 'American farmer' and how they need to give more subsidies - they are talking how much they can sent to Pilgrim's and Tyson's, etc.

Yes, we do need to encourage mechanization and do it - yesterday.

The fact is, however, right now there is no mechanization and the choice seems to be between prisoners and illegals - give me the prisoners any day.

We live fairly near a several prisons and the prisoners do a lot of road work, even some yard work for cities, etc. The guards tell me it is strictly voluntary, only good behavior inmates get to participate, and there is a waiting list of those who want to work outside.

Think about it, if a prisoner is working outside and working hard, when he/she gets back inside, they will want to relax and rest - not cause trouble. They will be calmer and healthier. Work is good for you.

First things first - get rid of the illegals - then mechanization.

Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS

This is a great program and should be in more states, there is no reason low risk inmates can not work in the fields!

We already have that going on at some prisons in Alabama, but we need to do it even more.

Originally Posted by CitizenBob

Originally Posted by Paige

The American Farmer has taken hit after hit after hit. We can't live without the American Farmer.

I totally agree. But here is my point -- WHY with the billions Congress spends on farm subsidies every year, can't we start subsidizing farmers to MECHANIZE?

The more they mechanize the LESS they will be seduced into jumping into a cheap labor pool.

As for the use of prisoners in the meantime -- I say GO FOR IT.

Agricultural mechanization was sponsored by the USDA until Agriculture Sectretary Bob Bergland rolled the program way back in 1979. There was a huge, huge decrease in investment in farm machinery and many ideas were shelved and lost. It lately has made somewhat of a comeback, aided now by computerized mapping, looking for ripeness in the trees and vines and charting a program to be used by the harvesting device.

Considering how our universities have grown and the new emphasis on sciences, engineering and computerization ( as opposed to baby-boomer interest in revolution, drugs and protesting) we should be ripe for a major new wave of automation in agricultural harvesting, sorting and packaging.

This should be the emphasis of any new AGJobs bill--not allowing more illegals to settle here. Write your Senators: tell them to opose Feinstein's AgJobs bill--we have been waiting too long for technology to arrive!! This will restore American competitiveness--which the open labor market does not. Handled wisely, it could benefit the small farmer as well.

There are some now that are using mechanical means. I saw the article but I can't remember where I saw it.