Labor Issues Come Full Circle

H-2A isn’t working. If you’ve ever attempted to cut through all of the red tape required to bring guest workers into the country to help you harvest a crop, you’re painfully aware of this fact. At the very least, you’ve read about the problems with the program here in American Vegetable Grower.

What’s most dispiriting, though, is that the paragraph above is as true today as it was when I wrote it almost seven years ago as the lead for my first editorial in American Vegetable Grower.

It looked like things might be changing. Just a few weeks ago, there was genuine excitement about the possibilities for meaningful labor reform legislation. You’ve read differing opinions in this magazine recently on just how helpful (or damaging) it would ultimately be for growers, but just about everybody I talked to this winter was cautiously optimistic about the prospects for the AgJOBS bill.

That excitement seems to be fading. As the weeks have dragged on and nothing has moved forward, folks close to the situation are becoming more and more pessimistic that anything will happen this year.

Labor Reform’s Last Stand

The problem is that H-2A reform is tied to the larger, more complex, and infinitely more divisive issue of immigration. Congressmen running for reelection are increasingly unwilling to get anywhere near the subject, no matter which side of the argument they fall on. And as we get closer to campaign season, it will only get worse.

But that “play it safe” attitude will no longer cut it. Not from our representatives in Congress. And not from you, the grower, either.  You know the status quo is not the answer. But is your voice being heard?

As I write this, representatives from Western Growers, United Fresh, and dozens of other groups are gathered on Capitol Hill in what could amount to, quite literally, a last stand on labor reform. They’re reminding lawmakers that you need access to a legal, stable workforce; that without a workable program, many American farms simply won’t make it.

Time is running out. Contact your Representative and both of your Senators. Reinforce that message.

That first column I wrote back in October 2000 finished this way: “If the produce industry doesn’t make its voice heard on H-2A reform, we’ll all be back to square one — or worse — when the next Congress convenes.”  I’m sorry to say that statement was on the mark seven years ago. The stakes are even higher today. Speak now, or some of you may be forever holding your peace.

And Now For Something Completely Different

You’ll soon be seeing a new face on this editorial page as Brian Sparks takes over as our new group editor. Many of you already know Brian as editor of our sister publication, American Fruit Grower. He brings an expert knowledge of the produce industry, and I know you’re going to enjoy his fresh, new perspective on some of the issues you face every day.

I’ll be moving on to new challenges here at Meister Media Worldwide, working with brands that cover the ornamental horticulture and retail garden center markets. But with Brian and Rosemary Gordon in place, you’re in good hands.

Thanks to each and every one of you who welcomed me onto your farm, agreed to be interviewed for a story, or just took the time to talk with me over the last nine years. The American vegetable industry is amazing, creative, and resilient — just like the people that are a part of it. Thank you!