Senate reaches agreement on agricultural labor reform
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Posted: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 3:24 pm
After breaking through a stalemate between farm-worker unions and producers, senators late last week reached a tentative agreement on the framework for agricultural labor reform.
The plan was reached by the Agriculture Workforce Coalition, the United Farm Workers and key senators engaged in the process, including Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; and Michael Bennett, D-Colo.
Among the most contentious issues were the number of future agricultural visas and pay scales for foreign farm workers.
Major farm groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Milk Producers Federation, were pleased that ag labor provisions have been reached as part of the landmark immigration bill.
“These successful negotiations will help provide America’s farmers and ranchers (with) a much-needed legal labor supply while paving the way for many farm and ranch workers to obtain legal status,” AFBF President Bob Stallman said in a statement.
Stallman said the AFBF appreciates senators’ efforts to “garner consensus and agreement by all parties on such a significant issue.”
He called the framework “a positive step toward achieving meaningful immigration reform.”
Jerry Kozak, NMPF president and chief executive officer, called the framework “a positive step toward providing America’s dairy farmers access to a legal workforce now and in the future.”
He said the AWFC is committed to including an agricultural guest worker program and supporting the general framework negotiated in any final immigration reform package.
“For many farmers across the country, finding a sufficient number of workers to harvest crops or care for animals is the biggest challenge they face in running their businesses,” Kozak said. “There is a shortage of U.S. workers willing and able to perform farm work. Securing a reliable and competent workforce for our nation’s farms and ranches is essential to ensuring that American consumers continue to enjoy abundant and affordable food on their grocery store shelves.”
Both groups said they will continue working closely with Senate and House leaders as comprehensive immigration reform legislation is introduced and moves through Congress this year.
There are an estimated 500,000 foreign farm workers in the U.S.