US farmers warn of labor shortages following US immigration crackdown
by Mary Jones - January 14, 2011
United States, 14th January: American farmers have cautioned that crackdown on undocumented immigrants could result in severe shortage of seasonal farm workers in the US.
The largest American farm lobbying group, the American Farm Bureau Federation has urged the US government to help US farmers in need of seasonal workforce for undertaking agricultural work in the nation.
While giving an initial nod to the policy of working with state governments for creating programs in order to provide required seasonal labor force to the US farmers, the delegates of the American Farm Bureau Federation said that the states must work towards granting temporary legal status to the undocumented farm workers in the US.
US farmers have to rely heavily on the seasonal farm workers majority of whom are neither US residents nor do they have a valid US visa. The US farmers have no option but to employ such immigrants since the Americans are unwilling to undertake extremely low-paying and tough jobs on the farms, the lobby group representative maintained.
The US government has, however, a guest worker visa program for the US but the US farmers maintain that this program is not affordable.
The American farmers group has reiterated that the US government must set up an immigration policy.
President of South Carolina Farm Bureau, David Winkles, said that till now, the state programs have failed to address the issue of ensuring adequate work force in the US farms.
A few state governments have passed rules for cracking on undocumented immigrants in the US. And new laws are likely to be passed this year similar to the Arizona immigration law passed in 2010.
The immigration law passed in Arizona gives authority to the police for questioning the immigration status of the individuals suspected to be living without a legal and a valid US visa or US work permit. However, the ruling has been challenged and frozen for the time being.
State director and a representative of farmers and ranchers south of San Antonio, Raymond Meyer said that Congress must set immigration and border rules along with providing security to the farmers in the US.
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