Time To Stand Up For America’s Growers
October 27, 2011 Growers across the U.S. are facing a worsening labor crisis as many of the immigrants upon whom they’ve depended to harvest their crops have begun disappearing in the face of tougher labor laws that fail to take into account the nation’s food supply. Now Congress is poised to make the situation even worse as it considers the passage of mandatory federal E-Verify legislation. It’s time for growers, for all those affiliated withe the fresh produce industry – really anyone who consumes fruits and vegetables – to step up for the industry and let Congress know where you stand.
On Thursday, October 27, interested parties could take part in “Speak Up for America’s Food Day” by using an interactive website to lobby Congress for a practical solution for America’s farmers to secure a legal, stable work force. “Speak Up for America’s Food Day” is a nationally-coordinated effort of the Save America’s Food and Economy(SAFE) campaign. SAFE, along with the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform, which has many industry association/members such as United Fresh, is urging everyone who is part of, or cares about, American agriculture to tell their elected officials in Washington why America needs legislation now to provide a reliable farm labor force.
The SAFE campaign urges that even if you can’t visit Capitol Hill, you can visit the SAFE website at SaveAmericasFood.org and take action there. You can tell your friends, your family and your co-workers. You can send a letter to Congress and find other ways to speak up for America’s food and farms. And, for Facebook users, you can “like” the SAFE campaign by visiting Facebook.com/SaveAmericasFood.
If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for your country. As Florida grower Tony DiMare told American Vegetable Grower magazine in August, what the politicians fail to realize is how intertwined farming is with rural American life. “If farming’s shut down, you’re not only losing a sector of our economy, but all those supplemental businesses that ag supports,” he said. “You shut them down, you’re shutting that whole community down.”
Source: United Fresh
For more related, detailed coverage on this hot topic, check out the following links:
- Speak Out, Speak Up, Speak Often
With anti-immigration forces on the move, growers must communicate the need for a stable, legal workforce. - Give Us Options
If growers want to know how tough the pending E-Verify law will be on their business, they need to look no further than Georgia. - Seed For Thought: The E-Verify Challenge
The glass is half-empty when it comes to the potential impact of E-Verify. - Labor Remains First Priority For USApple
USApple will update its members with an “action alert” and easy steps to contact members of Congress.