Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

(WI) Dairy farmers worry that proposed E-Verify law will kill industry - (need illegal laborers).
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | 7/31/2011 | Georgia Pabst

Posted on 07/31/2011 10:12:27 AM PDT by sbMKE

New Holstein - As daylight breaks, David Geiser is already in the barn of the Gold Star Dairy farm tending to more than 300 head of Holsteins on his sprawling farm.

Like his father and grandfather, Geiser has lived and worked on this farm, founded by his Polish and German immigrant ancestors, all his life. Next year the farm will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Deborah Reinhart, whose Quaker ancestors were dairy farmers in Pennsylvania, works alongside her husband as the farm business manager and also cares for the young livestock. The couple raised three sons, who are now grown and gone to other careers and other locales.

But Geiser and Reinhart remain.

"This is our life," Reinhart said. "It's who we are and what we do. The dairy mentality is deep in my soul. Everything David and I have is tied up in this land."

Now they find themselves caught up in the contentious immigration battle that stretches from the halls of Washington to this quiet rural landscape and Wisconsin's signature industry. They worry that proposed legislation that would require all employers to use a new system - called E-Verify - to confirm employment eligibility could jeopardize their livelihood.

About four in 10 dairy farm workers are immigrants, many believed to be undocumented.

"If E-Verify passes, it will kill the dairy industry in Wisconsin," Reinhart said. "I'm scared to death."

....

Watch the bellyaching on the accompanying video (I don't know how to farm - our cows will starve) and you'll get a sense that these people are plantation-owners, not farmers. Exploitation is a dairy farmer's right !!! http://www.jsonline.com/general/37714089.html?bcpid=8725036001&bctid=1086521612001

PS - the featured farmers (with illegal immigrant workforce) are Deb Reinhart and David Geiser, Land o Lakes Gold Star Farms, New Holstein Wisconsin.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: crimalien; employment; immigration
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last
To: sbMKE
Lets get this right. You are in the food industry and you don't want to verify your workers are here legally?

Fine, shut them down immediately. If they cannot or will not follow the law then what other laws are they violating?

In the food industry there should be zero tolerance for this kind of ignorance.

21 posted on 07/31/2011 10:45:46 AM PDT by Wurlitzer (Welcome to the new USSA (United Socialist States of Amerika))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: arderkrag

I saw a very similar headline yesterday supposedly from another state in the midwest. Must be the Dem talking point for this weekend.


22 posted on 07/31/2011 10:45:46 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: sbMKE

A computer program? That’s weird. I would have thought that rising fuel and energy costs would kill the industry first. Of course, even if the farmers did whine about that, the lowlifes in the state run “media” wouldn’t report it.


23 posted on 07/31/2011 10:47:42 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Hey Barry! Compromise this!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Moonman62
Yup, the cotton industry survived the end of slavery. The former slaves survived the cotton picker.

I'm sure someone will figure out how to shovel poop and milk cows eventually!

24 posted on 07/31/2011 10:48:49 AM PDT by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SteveAustin
I live in Wisconsin. I have no problems with e verify.

Whatever we supposedly might “lose”in jobs we will make up in lower taxes from having to provide less social services to illegal immigrants.


Yes, and it would be true everywhere. The cost associated with illegal immigrants and their offspring far outweigh any cost savings achieved by those in the agriculture sector who use their labor. The problem is that the full costs of illegal immigrant labor is borne by the taxpayer and not the farmer (yes, I know the farmer pays taxes too).

Yes we might pay a small amount more for some agricultural products but the other benefits would be great. This is what the farmers don't understand or don't want to understand. And the importation of cheap illegal labor has probably let the farmer make a lot of bad decisions by not substituting capital for labor in a number of cases.
25 posted on 07/31/2011 10:52:19 AM PDT by truthguy (Good intentions are not enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: yoe

This is a great idea
“perhaps David Geiser should demand legal American youths get up off their arses and work...maybe we need a ‘draft’ of sorts to start this ball rolling. E-Verify makes more sense all the time..........”

Makes more sense than all the BD mooooochelle is throwing out.
get out and work, that fat will come off and they will be healither and feel better


26 posted on 07/31/2011 10:54:25 AM PDT by RWGinger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: truthguy
What we have in the agriculture sector are farmers who want subsidies. And these subsidies come in different forms. Somethings it's direct subsidies and other times it's the importing cheap labor in the form of illegals.

Back in the early 90s one of my Senior NCOs owned a farm about 12 miles from base. It was his home town and of his more than 20 years in service he had been gone from home just two years (we called it Homesteading).

Anyway, he bragged he received about twice what he made from the Air Force from the Feds for keeping over half his land fallow. He also said he received other subsidies that totaled his AF pay and because of that he was quite hard to deal with.

I finally got fed up and pressured him to retire from the military and go farm.

27 posted on 07/31/2011 10:57:14 AM PDT by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: truthguy

Agriculture does not need illegal immigrants. I know many farmers and ranchers that do not hire illegals and they do just fine. Their cows don’t die and their crops don’t rot- they are able to get legal immigrants and/or citizen employees. The Ag industry is just like other industries, there are those that follow the law and those that don’t. The sad thing is those that follow the law have to compete with those that don’t. That is truly unfair and must be stopped.

Agriculture is where this mess all started with the illegals, many of my family and friends worked in agriculture jobs and were forced out by illegals many years ago. Many owners wanted the illegals because they would not only work for lower wages, but would tolerate unsafe or otherwise bad working conditions. At the time those of us that needed and wanted the jobs tried to speak out about what was happening but no one cared. It wasn’t their job. As the years have passed illegals have moved into construction, motels, restaurants, you name it illegals have taken the jobs.

We simply cannot afford to subsidize illegal workers and need the jobs for citizens.


28 posted on 07/31/2011 10:57:45 AM PDT by Tammy8 (~Secure the border and deport all illegals- do it now! ~ Support our Troops!~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: sbMKE
About four in 10 dairy farm workers are immigrants, many believed to be undocumented.

That number is complete rubbish.

Take out the owners, herd managers and the farm support people who aren't on the farm every day: Milk Inspectors, DHIA Technicians, Holstein Classifiers, Milk Haulers and vets. And then the number (unless you're on an Amish Farm) is 99.9%.

That is correct. The daily hired labor on dairy farms in the US not part of management in almost 100%. NONE of them are "believed" by anyone to be undocumented. ALL are known to be illegals.

29 posted on 07/31/2011 10:58:01 AM PDT by FredZarguna (Say goodnight, George.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FredZarguna

That may be true where you live, but not here. In my area there are farmers that hire only illegals, some that hire both legal and illegal workers, and some that never hire illegals. The sad thing is the farmers that don’t hire illegals have to compete with those that do.


30 posted on 07/31/2011 11:03:50 AM PDT by Tammy8 (~Secure the border and deport all illegals- do it now! ~ Support our Troops!~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: sbMKE

“If E-Verify passes, it will kill the dairy industry in Wisconsin,” Reinhart said. “I’m scared to death.”

Perhaps the dairy industry in Wisconsin “needs killin”

Or needs to adapt.


31 posted on 07/31/2011 11:05:05 AM PDT by KEVLAR
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cowboy Bob
No! Its because illegals are willing to work for pay that is below the mandated minimum wage!

This is incorrect. It happens because Americans will not do this job for anywhere near the minimum wage, and illegals will do it for far less. The current Federal minimum wage is $7.25. That's $14,500 in a 2000 hour labor-year. I've had farmers already tell me, "Good milkers want $25,000/year. Why should I pay them that?" When I tell them they shouldn't have slave labor on their farms, they just laugh.

The problem is not the employees, the problem is the employer. Farmers are simply NOT willing to pay what farm labor costs and they know that no one will enforce the law.

32 posted on 07/31/2011 11:06:48 AM PDT by FredZarguna (Say goodnight, George.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Moonman62
Deal with it. The cotton industry survived the end of slavery

Second that! And why should a business ower skip paying taxes, skirt environmental regulations or under-pay employeees? Because these actions are illegal.

33 posted on 07/31/2011 11:11:58 AM PDT by VRW Conspirator (Obama takes office, and 2 years later our nation is using the word 'default'? -HereInTheHeartland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Tammy8

My business puts me on Farms ALL OVER the Lower 48 United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, every day. It is true EVERYWHERE. And New Mexico is one of the worst offenders. Poor land quality and lack of water in the desert Southwest change the outdoor aspect of the business — and that is all. In any location where labor is intensive, illegals are used.


34 posted on 07/31/2011 11:12:17 AM PDT by FredZarguna (Say goodnight, George.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: KEVLAR
This is exactly correct. European farms are far more mechanized and a far higher percentage of their farms use robotic milkers. The availability of near-slave labor has harmed our competitiveness and innovation.

If the Federal government wants to close the budget gap, all they need to do is visit milking parlors during milking times. The current fine, I believe, is $7,500 per illegal, with an additional $7,500 if ICE can prove that a pattern of illegal hiring practice exists. In almost all cases, that would amount to a fine somewhere between $30,000-$60,000 even on moderate sized farms.

No, the fine itself won't amount to much against the billions we owe, but the resulting drop in crime, welfare, school costs and infrastructure that doesn't need to be paid for will be a good start.

35 posted on 07/31/2011 11:19:47 AM PDT by FredZarguna (Say goodnight, George.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Tammy8
We simply cannot afford to subsidize illegal workers and need the jobs for citizens.

And that is what it amounts to. We the taxpayers are funding the very people who take corruption as a way of life.

What the Democrat masters do not understand is that if the illegals were allowed to vote today, the Dems would benefit but only for a season. Beyond that, the new legals would vote in their own. And as far as corruption goes, you ain't seen nothing yet.

36 posted on 07/31/2011 11:20:54 AM PDT by VRW Conspirator (Obama takes office, and 2 years later our nation is using the word 'default'? -HereInTheHeartland)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: truthguy

Wherever illegal migrant farm workers have settled the crime rate has sky rocketed along with the other ills brought by them. I’ll pay 5 cents more for a head of lettuce to hire Ameicans. Lets start by employing welfare fraud recepients and put them in the fields. If they don’t like it then they don’t eat. Guess what, they’ll work.


37 posted on 07/31/2011 11:22:03 AM PDT by doc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: VRW Conspirator
The cotton industry survived the end of slavery

Slavery didn't end.

It evolved into the current illegal alien/cheap labor system presently in place.

38 posted on 07/31/2011 11:22:32 AM PDT by Species8472 (There is no distinctly native American criminal class...save Congress)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: cashless

These whinny dairy farmers make me sick.I’ve been farming for 40 plus years and never once hired an illegal.Pay a decent wage and you’ll have no problem finding Americans who will work hard.(It would help farmers a bunch if the government would stop messing with the dairy industry.)


39 posted on 07/31/2011 11:25:51 AM PDT by Farmer Dean (stop worrying about what they want to do to you,start thinking about what you want to do to them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Tailback

My job puts me in very close contact with farmers, and my first thought is they always whine about labor costs, but how much of the price of a tomato at the grocery store is labor cost? Fertilizer, transportation, seed stock, planting, livestock, spraying, fuel, equipment leases or purchase payments, they all seem to me to be a much larger portion of a 50 cent tomato than labor.

I deal with a guy nearly every day that owns about 4 different dairies. He pays his employees crap wages, (even the legal American citizens), none of his trucks would pass a DOT inspection (but he has a ‘F’ plate which exempts him), he and his kids all get a new $40,000 truck every other year which is a write-off, and he employs a bunch of illegals.

He’s essentially getting subsidized by the US taxpayer on health costs for his employees (they go to the emergency room), wages (the illegals game the system by not showing they’re married, the ‘wife’ applies for welfare, WIC, foodstamps, etc...as a single mother with anchor baby) Taxes (farm subsidies and property tax exemptions), and since he doesn’t have to pay overtime wages (farm employees are exempt) the income taxes, social security, and medicare taxes paid are reduced.

So, how many employees does it take to produce 100,000 gallons of milk per year? How much would it raise the price of a gallon of milk if the dairy paid for health insurance, overtime, and increased wages for not hiring illegal aliens? How much would the price of a tomato increase if the same things were required? How about a head of lettuce?


40 posted on 07/31/2011 11:30:22 AM PDT by Tailback
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson