THE WAR FOR ILLEGALS IS THE WAR TO PAY MISERABLE WAGES AND EXPLOITATION

Midwest farmers DO hire immigrants for their crops

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Date: 2010-03-06, 7:07PM PST


Reply to: pers-ekzmj-1632214204@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

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Senator seeks regional stipulations in Farm Bill


Schumer, right, with apple
farmer Jeffrey Crist
Middletown – U.S. Senator Charles Schumer told Orange County farmers Monday that the agricultural community of upstate New York has been left behind “in favor of major agriculture conglomerates in the Midwest and West Coast” in previous comprehensive farm bills.

Schumer is sponsoring a “Northeast Marker Bill” he says will ensure that the leaders on the omnibus farm bill cannot ignore the unique needs of Orange and Sullivan County farmers.

The legislation will support small farmers, dairy producers and growers of specialty crops,” the senator said.

“It would provide grants, technical assistance, increasing demand by significant marketing campaign, encourage the use of local and American produce.”

The bill would improve crop insurance to ensure that the types of diverse farm operations in the region have access to better risk management tools.

As usual, a top concern among the farmers attending the hour-long meeting, was migrant workers. Most farmers say the need them, out of necessity, but want the legal clouds removed.

Jeff Crist, of Walden, named the U.S. “Apple Grower of the Year”, said like most growers, he has no choice but to hire immigrants.

“Right now, there are some concerns on border enforcement and making an available legal labor force to us, and congress has not been able to resolve that he said.

Schumer concurred the issue has not been properly addressed. “But if we were to put in a non-forgeable Social Security Card … everyone of us would have one, and there would be a computer. You are either a citizen when you apply for a job; you would only have to show it when you apply for a job. Or, a green card; give a number of agricultural workers a card. You’re okay; the employer is off the hook.”

But, noting a recent federal judge’s decision in the case of a Pennsylvania municipality that enacted its own ordinance, targeting employers who knowingly hire illegals, the senator agreed with the judge that the solution must come at the federal level.