US: Farm groups want new immigration laws, not an executive order

Frank Gasperini, CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, said he is worried that the debate and controversy surrounding Obama's action will make it more difficult for Congress to achieve the goals outlined by the Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC) - chiefly to make sure there is an adequate legal workforce to harvest America's crops and process its food.

“Our chief concern is that the squabbling between Congress and the administration will only intensify and further delay real legislative reforms in the general immigration arena, and making meaningful improvements in administration of the H-2 programs that much more difficult,” Gasperini added, referring to visa programs for temporary or seasonal workers.

AWC includes over 70 organizations that worked with farm worker groups to establish a set of criteria for agriculture within immigration reform. The AWC's steering committee includes: American Farm Bureau Federation, AmericanHort, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, National Council of Agricultural Employers, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Milk Producers Federation, USA Farmers, U.S. Apple Association, United Fresh Produce Association, Western Growers Association, and Western United Dairymen.

In a statement issued after Obama's 15 minute address, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation's biggest farmer organization, said it does not expect the president's plan to help U.S. farmers deal with the labour shortage.

“Our nation loses millions of dollars in fruit and vegetable production every year because farmers cannot find labour to harvest everything they grow,” AFBF President Bob Stallman said. “This order will not change that.”

Stallman called on Congress and Obama to work together “to find a solution that works for America.”

On Wednesday, Arturo Rodriguez, president of United Farm Workers, met with Obama to discuss the announcement. According to Rodriguez's statement, at least 250,000 farm workers will be eligible for deportation relief under the executive action.

However, farm workers are not specifically mentioned in the president's plan and there are no agriculture-related provisions included in his actions. There are an estimated 3 million migrant and seasonal farm workers in the United States and about 70 percent of them are here illegally.

Robert Guenther, senior vice president of public policy for United Fresh Produce Association, said that while the president's action “may provide some minimal relief or help for agriculture, it doesn't address any long-term solutions, which can only be done through congressional action.” United Fresh represents producers of fresh fruits and vegetables.

“Both sides need to ratchet down the rhetoric and come to the table to get this done in 2015,” Guenther said.

Source: agri-pulse.com