Most of what goes into the American salad bowl was picked by illegals

[Thom Little]

Men and women who have crossed the border illegally - mostly from Mexico - may number as high as 20 million, with 12 million to 15 million holding jobs, according to analysts at Bear Stearns in New York. An analysis by Barron's estimated they account for about $970 billion of the goods and services produced by the real economy.

While other industries - service, construction, food processing - have larger total numbers of undocumented immigrants, the majority of farmworkers are illegal immigrants.

They make up 53 percent of the approximately 1.8 million farmworkers in the country, up from about 12 percent in 1989-1990, according to the Labor Department's Agricultural Workers Survey.

"The fact is, the fresh produce industry couldn't exist without a foreign work force, but we don't have a mechanism to bring in foreign workers," said Tom Nassif, president of Western Growers Association, which represents more than 3,000 farmers in Arizona and California.


http://www.fresnobee.com/state_wire/story/11545466p-12280667c.html

[Critters2]

1. The same is true of the meat industry

If factory farms and slaughterhouses were required to hire legal workers, the price of meat would be so high that everyone would be vegetarian--like me!!

Americans like to think food is cheap. And the government and corporate ag help them perpetuate that little fantasy!

[goodhue]

2. Indeed, and there currently is a shortage of pickers!

TOO FEW WORKERS: Manuel Barron works a California lettuce field.

http://csmonitor.com/2005/1202/p01s03-usec.html

USA > Economy

from the December 02, 2005 edition

A drought of farm labor

By Daniel B. Wood | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

LOS ANGELES – Imperial Valley lettuce farmer Jack Vessey says it's the worst in his lifetime. Farther north in California's Central Valley, orange grower Manuel Cunha calls it the most constrained since before World War II. Coastal tomato grower Luwanna Holmstrom constantly worries about a repeat of two years ago, when she had to plow under $2.5 million in tomatoes left unpicked.

California and Arizona farmers - producers of half the nation's citrus and 90 percent of its vegetables and nuts - are struggling with an acute labor shortage. The situation, worsened by crackdowns on illegal immigration since 9/11, also extends to other states and is no longer just a matter of possible price increases on lettuce, oranges, or almonds, farmers say. Rather, it is a turning point in the nation's ability to produce its own food - and possibly the loss of major parts of its agriculture industry

"We are trying to sound the alarm without being alarmist, but the situation has become extremely serious," says Tim Chelling of the Western Growers Association, whose members grow, pack, and ship half America's produce. "We are now talking of losing the production of key commodities to foreign competition. America's produce industry is facing a crisis."

Although the shortage was worsening before 9/11, it's now extreme, Mr. Chelling and the three California farmers say. Without an emergency guest-worker program, they will be dramatically short of the minimum number of workers needed to harvest the current crop. Without long-term immigration reform that acknowledges America's reliance on foreign workers, farmers will not be able to make ends meet, they say.

* * *

http://csmonitor.com/2005/1202/p01s03-usec.html

[goodhue]

5. .

[LeighAnn]

3. Some of those jobs Americans don't want?

I always hear that about "illegal immigrants", they do all the jobs Americans don't want. Next you hear about rising unemployment rates and the millions of jobless Americans.

Our nation needs to return to an agricultural economy, instead of having a society where you've got to be a college gra-ji-ate to be able to realize the "American Dream".

Plus, I don't see why we keep trying to keep people off of the land to which they are indiginous.

[Lefty48197]

7. Good point. "Mexicans" have been in Arizona for 10,000 years

It's laughable when a bunch of white people who's ancestors have been in Arizona for about 115 years MAXIMUM, keep whining about people "taking over".

[SemiCharmedQuark]

9. Especially when you think about HOW those white people settled.

Mexico was worried that there were white settlers coming in, more and more of them. But as long as the Americans followed the rules, it was ok. But no, the Americans wanted to own slaves and steal from the Mexicans. When the Mexicans tried to defend their own lands, the Americans cried foul and the land-hungry US government jumped to the aid. They took away half of Mexico. Perhaps people worry about immigrants taking over because that is exactly how the US was formed.

[CrispyQ]

4. American's whine about illegals

but don't want to sacrifice low prices for produce. If they really cared about the issue, they would be willing to pay twice or three times for produce picked by well paid Americans.

Same with Walmart. We bemoan the transfer of jobs to China, but millions support Walmart with their consumer dollars. We help create these situations we despise.

[newscott]

6. Bruce Springsteen used words very like these in describing

the immigration issue in this country on his Devils & Dust tour. He said something to the effect of, the food on your table was put there by the hands of illegal immigrants.

[Loonman]

8. I don't eat salad

I also don't support or condone illegal or inlawful activities.