It's harvest time in the Central Valley, but where are the farmworkers?

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | September 18, 2005 | George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It's the middle of harvest season for California raisin grapes, and only half of the farmworkers needed are in the fields.

What holds for raisin grapes is happening widely in California agriculture. In the Central Valley alone, there is a shortage of from 70,000 to 80,000 workers to bring fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables to market, according to an estimate by the trade association Western Growers.

Some growers are planting fewer acres than normal as they scramble to save the season. Western Growers is worried that the lack of workers -- mostly immigrants from Mexico and Central America -- could cause $1 billion in losses to California agriculture this year.

Manuel Cunha Jr., president of Nisei Farmers League in Fresno, is getting 50 calls a day from growers asking where the workers are.

"It's a disaster," Cunha said. "We have an immigration program that is broken."

Many of the farmworkers who year after year make the trip from their homelands to California, doing the work Americans shun, have found their own ladders of success to climb. They're taking better-paying jobs in construction and landscaping in the booming Central Valley communities where they once picked a cornucopia of crops. Construction alone may be taking 40 percent of the available workforce, growers estimate.

Farmworker numbers are fewer, too, because of increased border protection in the post-Sept. 11 climate, both from the authorities and private citizens who deputize themselves to try to stanch illegal immigration.

[hoosiermama]

And why didn't CA offer to house the residentially challenged after Katrina?

[BenLurkin]

"In the Central Valley alone, there is a shortage of from 70,000 to 80,000 workers . . . "

70 - 80 thousand. Say isn't that about the number of people who got displaced from New Orleans?

[John Jorsett]

So now we have jobs that even Mexicans don't want to do.

[Mrs. Shawnlaw]

No problem. We'll just import more produce from south america like we always do.

[Brilliant]

"where are the farmworkers?"

They are doing the jobs that Americans want.

[dts32041]

Time to start working on machines that can do the work of laborers.

Maybe someday they will be forced to pay 250K for a machine that they use three weeks a year like grain farmers in the Midwest.

[meyer]

Quit paying people not to work and there will be plenty of people to fill those jobs.

[Fzob]

Many of the farmworkers who year after year make the trip from their homelands to California, doing the work Americans shun, have found their own ladders of success to climb. They're taking better-paying jobs in construction and landscaping in the booming Central Valley communities where they once picked a cornucopia of crops. Construction alone may be taking 40 percent of the available workforce, growers estimate.

Capitalism at work. Ain't it great.

[SandRat]

"In the Central Valley alone, there is a shortage of from 70,000 to 80,000 workers . . . "

and the welfare rolls in the valley, surrounding areas and state are how big?

[rottndog]

Gee, maybe if they paid more money, they would attract more workers.

[Fzob]

Quit paying people not to work and there will be plenty of people to fill those jobs.

Bingo!!!!!

[Truthsayer20]

If farmers are unable to attract enough workers, they need to offer better wages. That's how a free market economy works.

[Brilliant]

The same guys who were complaining about unemployment during Bush's first term are now complaining about labor shortages.

May I suggest that they increase their wages? That's what the free market is all about.

[stylin_geek]

This article is approaching nonsense. I work for one of the largest growers of table grapes in the US, and we've been able to harvest just fine.

[CzarNicky]

I'm sure California has hundreds of thousands of welfare recipients who would love to...er, could do it.

[Brilliant]

Look at your last sentence, then look at mine. You beat me by four seconds. Dang!

[Gay State Conservative]

It's harvest time...but where are the farm workers?

Perhaps they've found a way to circumvent the welfare laws (as they've done with the immigration laws)and are receiving regular welfare checks,Section 8 vouchers,Food Stamps and Medicaid cards and no longer need the work.

[nicmarlo]

Many of the farmworkers who year after year make the trip from their homelands to California, doing the work Americans shun, have found their own ladders of success to climb. They're taking better-paying jobs in construction and landscaping

ping!

[sgtbono2002]

This is one of the problems with letting people cross over the border whenever they want, They find better jobs or discover welfare is better than working. Either way it means less pickers.