Posted on 10/08/2007 6:32:46 PM PDT by SteveMcKing
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Farmers in and around the Bay Area are starting to feel the pinch from tighter border security and visa requirements, NBC11's Daniel Garza reported Monday.
Some farmers told Garza they expect some of their fields to remain unpicked.
Some said they believe their fields will end up filled with rotting produce.
The Bush administration has learned of the possible loss of millions of dollars for thousands of farmers throughout the country, and is attempting to loosen visa requirements for workers.
However, farmers told Garza the attempt is "too little too late."
(Excerpt) Read more at nbc11.com ...
Sounds like the housing industry has stolen a bunch of (illegal) workers from the agriculture industry.
Yes, that's just the question that must be thrown in their faces.... To which they will lisp, giggle, and drool some pathetic answer about farmers' entitlement.
Then I guess it’ll rot, won’t it?
Too bad, shouldn’t have been using illegal labor.
Or, and heres a thought.
Pay people more and they will come out and do it..
“Verified Legal” certification might have traction as a marketing tool for Fruits/Veggies, similar to “Organic”.
I wonder if anyone has the cajones to do that?
On the bright side, that would never happen since the whole "pay $5 for a head of lettuce" statements aren't based on production costs, but was simply a made-up number to try to scare people into selling-out their own country. A huge increase in pay results in a very small increase in cost per item.
They should have not held back and just said, "If you deport the illegals, you'll have to pay $10,000 for a head of lettuce." I mean, seriously, why mess around with piddly scare-tactic numbers?
“Thousands of jobs remain empty, while bankrupt Michigan’s governor demands higher taxes, so everyone on the dole can stay home instead of moving to California where they would have to work.”
That's what they said about picking cotton in the mid 1800s.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention.
If they pay a decent wage, people will apply for the work.
What about all of the street people?
With 36 MILLION illegals already in this country and they can’t find anyone to pick their crops!
So much for the jobs Americans won’t do. Looks like Mexicans don’t want them either at the prices paid. Here’s a free-market solution-RAISE YOUR WAGES!
Speaking as someone who’s lived at the bottom end of life in CA...I’ll tell you flat out, there’s plenty folk would love to earn what those illegals earn in the fields, but if you dont speak spanish, you damn well better not even think of applying of a slot on one of the crews.
Invest in automation.
I am a white anglo-saxon protestant gun owning Republican heterosexual who has done significant amounts of farm work within the last five years. TO HELL with these employers of illegal aliens. Pay market wages and your crops will get picked. Period. And yep, we’ll pay more for food. And a ton less in taxes to pay for the illegal Mexicans who crowd our schools, jails and hospitals. I married into a farming family and know the details guys. It ain’t that hard. Raise wages and guess what, your fruit will get picked.
That's Step #2. First, deport the illegals, then you'll have crops to pick.
Of course, the real reason they are struggling for labor is not that there aren't enough illegals, but that the illegals that are here have moved into higher-paying lines of work, such as construction and roofing.
It won’t rot. Birds will flock to it.
Because it's a way of life for people who live off the government handouts, they have no desire to work. They have NO SKILLS, don't WANT to work, and can live their lives in squallor, while complaining that the government isn't doing enough for "poor people", and they go and continue to vote Democrat.
I think if enough people get hungry, they will get up off the couch and go out to pick vegetables...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CetPq_pkHc
He should blame the Democrats who demanded a hike the minimum wage for no-skill jobs.
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