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Farmers: Trump 'terrible for agriculture'
Politico ^ | 09/01/2015 | Bill Tomson

Posted on 09/01/2015 5:28:18 AM PDT by GIdget2004

Even before real-estate mogul Donald Trump called undocumented immigrants "rapists and murderers" who "have to go," California contractor Carlos Castañeda was having difficulty hiring enough workers to pick celery and squash.

Now Castañeda and others fear Trump's talk about erecting a "big beautiful wall" at the border and deporting millions could make it near impossible to find the guest workers they need, and who would obtain legal status under most comprehensive reforms bills.

"There are growers out there screaming for labor," said Castañeda, a farm labor contractor in San Luis Obispo County in central California. "The people who are coming in are doing the work that not a single American would like to do."

Trump's brash talk about stopping undocumented immigration has excited GOP primary voters, turbocharged his campaign and spurred similar get-tough pledges from several rivals, including Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Scott Walker. But the view from many conservative-leaning agricultural communities is disgust, bordering on dread. Farmers say the candidate’s pronouncements have exacerbated already difficult labor shortages and brought counterproductive political attention to issues they had hoped to resolve quietly in Congress through legislation overhauling the nation’s broken guest-worker program.

Many say they will do everything in their power to educate the public about why Trump’s positions jeopardize their livelihoods — and the nation’s access to fresh fruit and vegetables.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: farmers; guestworkers; illegals; immigration; trump
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To: GIdget2004
"There are growers out there screaming for labor," said Castañeda, a farm labor contractor in San Luis Obispo County in central California. "The people who are coming in are doing the work that not a single American would like to do."

What a screaming POS this fool is. How many illegals collecting welfare, are sitting on their, er, couches in CA, right now??? They're NOT doing the work, period.

He is wrong as rain. THIS farmer is FOR Trump. Enough of the lies and pandering, amigo.

61 posted on 09/01/2015 8:12:34 AM PDT by Jane Long ("And when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek")
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To: GIdget2004

Farmer’s hire illegals to pick the crops then after the ‘three month picking season’ is over they dump the illegals on to welfare and food stamps and force taxpayers to support them.

To add insult to injury the farmers puppets in congress make the illegals into citizens at which point they STOP picking crops and compete for entry level jobs.

It’s NOT ‘cheap labor’ except for the deadbeat farmers...


62 posted on 09/01/2015 8:13:18 AM PDT by GOPJ (Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE)
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To: Tulane

Sending illegals home will more than make up for it...


63 posted on 09/01/2015 8:13:54 AM PDT by GOPJ (Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

I can’t see why tech hasn’t solved this problem. Send out a robot with a guy RCing him to reach out and snip the ripe produce in the morning and tag it so the pick-up robot can grab it and chuck it in the basket later in the day.

Let people buy the robots and compete for picking the harvest.


64 posted on 09/01/2015 8:17:53 AM PDT by txhurl
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To: C. Edmund Wright

A. Yes. Some Americans should be doing bottom of the barrel jobs. The world needs ditch diggers too and there are many low skilled/low intelligence Americans that would be perfectly happy doing those jobs if wages were not depressed by illegals. Furthermore, there is a whole subsection of that group that would have done that work in the past but refuses to do so because welfare pays better. Welfare is the best paying entry level “job” in over half the states. I almost can’t blame them.

B. No. Some jobs kinda suck. I’ve done them in the past and I’m sure you have too. Take away the cheap labor and the crazy welfare, and these jobs will pay better than they do now.
C. Yes, I know personally know low skilled/ uneducated American workers doing American jobs. As they get better, they get paid more. If they stink, they make less/ get fired. It’s the American way. Hard work pays off.
D.The consumer benefits are minimal. If you knew much about construction you would see that companies that use illegals charge the exact same amount as those that don’t, at least in highly populated areas. Who is making out like a bandit? The contractor.


65 posted on 09/01/2015 8:18:18 AM PDT by skippyjonjones
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To: DoodleDawg

Pretty sure our goods already have tariffs on them, buddy.


66 posted on 09/01/2015 8:19:44 AM PDT by skippyjonjones
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To: GOPJ

Wrong on one point. The illegals are paid cash so they are on welfare that three month period as well.


67 posted on 09/01/2015 8:42:14 AM PDT by skippyjonjones
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To: GIdget2004
"There are growers out there screaming for labor," said Castañeda, a farm labor contractor in San Luis Obispo County in central California. "The people who are coming in are doing the work that not a single American would like to do."

But what is the reality of the claims that growers are out there screaming for Labor? How many? What is the timetable? Is it all year round? What are the alternatives for labor sources?

The statement that there is work that not a single American will do does not ring true to me.

Is there a management plan or analysis of the situation? Or are we supposed to believe the anecdotal information because it is easy to believe?

How does the system work now? What plans do they have for outlining and accommodating future needs?

68 posted on 09/01/2015 8:49:08 AM PDT by olezip
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To: skippyjonjones

So, you’re saying it’s even worse than I thought? Great... just great. Thanks for sharing.


69 posted on 09/01/2015 8:49:16 AM PDT by GOPJ (Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE)
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To: GOPJ

Yep. We are taking it in the rear and people don’t even realize how bad. Then again, some go for that kind of thing.


70 posted on 09/01/2015 10:23:39 AM PDT by skippyjonjones
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To: AppyPappy

“How about “If you want to keep getting that Welfare check, you better harvest me some celery”. “

How about “You’re able bodied and otherwise unskilled, to the fields with you! No more mooching.” ?


71 posted on 09/01/2015 10:48:22 AM PDT by PLMerite ("The issue is never the issue. The issue is the Revolution.")
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To: Tulane

What higher taxes? Are you a hedge fund manager with carried interest?

Details still to come, but he has said he wants to simplify and lower taxes.


72 posted on 09/01/2015 10:50:17 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: freespirit2012

Exactly—there’s not a reason in the world that farm labor should be exempt from paying a competitive wage.


73 posted on 09/01/2015 10:50:52 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: GIdget2004
"California contractor Carlos Castañeda was having difficulty hiring enough workers to pick celery and squash."

Carlos Castaneda?

Shouldn't he be farming peyote or something?

74 posted on 09/01/2015 10:54:38 AM PDT by PLMerite ("The issue is never the issue. The issue is the Revolution.")
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To: Tulane

>>>Trump is for higher taxes<<<

I didn’t realize that the 39.6% Top Federal Tax Rate plus the 3.9% Obamacare Tax were less than the 15% Top Federal Tax Rate proposed by Trump.

Thank you for your insight.


75 posted on 09/01/2015 11:02:27 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Just another Bitter Clinger living the dream in Obamaville...)
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To: MrB

No, they don’t need migrant workers—they need to pay a competitive wage and craft more attractive jobs.


76 posted on 09/01/2015 11:31:33 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: GIdget2004

More then 80% of the workers on farms are Americans. More if illegals were not hired.


77 posted on 09/01/2015 11:51:46 AM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: skippyjonjones
The world needs ditch diggers too and there are many low skilled/low intelligence Americans that would be perfectly happy doing those jobs if wages were not depressed by illegals.

You are delusional. You clearly have never had to hire and manage a blue collar workforce - not low end blue collar. If you did, you wouldn't be under this pollyannish fantasy. Now you are correct with respects to skilled labor....to a degree, but you are not even close to reality with unskilled. And BTW, these illegals, except for the casual day labor at the Home Depot parking lot or whatever, are NOT PAID that lowly nor do many of them get paid UNDER the table.

if any of what you said was even the least bit true, I would agree with you. You and I are on the same page philophicially, but my life experiences gives me a huge experience edge.

78 posted on 09/03/2015 9:44:55 AM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (WTF? How Karl Rove and the Establishment Lost...Again)
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To: PrairieLady2

That’s already going on - but that’s not happening in much of the country - in other words, that doesn’t address the labor issue.


79 posted on 09/03/2015 9:45:36 AM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (WTF? How Karl Rove and the Establishment Lost...Again)
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To: orinoco

Yes, but if you think this is just about wages, you’re delusional. American kids, let alone adults, recoil under the weight of mundane repetitive work.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though some of the causes are video games, media everywhere, and ADHD.


80 posted on 09/03/2015 9:46:56 AM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (WTF? How Karl Rove and the Establishment Lost...Again)
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