Fallout of Government Shutdown Threatens
U.S. Four Billion Dollar Winter Vegetable Supply
America’s nearly four billion dollar winter vegetable harvest is in
jeopardy, according to the Irvine based Western Growers Association. The
Obama Administration needs to take immediate action to expedite pending foreign
worker visa applications that have been stalled during the government
shutdown.
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification at the U.S. Dept. of Labor (DOL)
has been shuttered since October 1 and the processing of H-2A applications were
halted just when the growing season for winter vegetables was getting under
way.
Ninety percent of the country’s vegetables are grown in the desert regions
of Arizona and California in winter time. Applications have not been
processed for more than two weeks and the backlog of paperwork has grown.
If H-2A workers are not in place by November 18, consequences will be
dire. It usually takes at least eight weeks to process the applications
of H-2A workers.
“The H-2A program has never been efficient, or responsive to the needs of
employers or workers even in the best of times,” said Tom Nassif, president and
CEO of Western Growers. “Inaction by Congress on immigration reform has forced
many farmers to turn to the H-2A program in desperation, but if these
applications are not processed in an expedited manner, the Yuma and Imperial
winter vegetable harvest, which relies on thousands of H-2A workers, will
suffer from lack of workers and consumers will face a shortage of domestic
fresh produce. Prices will surely rise as supplies diminish.”
The H-2A visa program is the only visa program U.S. farmers can use to hire
much-needed foreign workers when the labor supply in agriculture expands at
harvest time. Thirty to 50 percent of agricultural workers in Yuma County
(AZ) and Imperial County (CA) are H-2A guest workers during the winter
season.
The government agencies involved in the H-2A process must implement
contingency plans for expediting these applications immediately upon the
resumption of the government so workers can be ready when needed.
Labels: H-2A, Imperial County, Western Growers Association, WGA, Winter Vegetabes, Yuma