NY farmers: We'll Cut Crops If We Lose "Immigrants" (green card, visa)

[Benicar]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Long Island farmers say they'll have to cut back on crop production or go out of business if the government doesn't solve their workers' immigrant status.

Rep. Tim Bishop held a town hall meeting in Calverton Saturday to hear the farmers' concerns.

Dozens of them told the Democrat they depend on immigrant labor. They say they fear they'll lose too many workers, citing crackdowns on undocumented immigrants in recent years.

1010wins.com - NY farmers: We'll Cut Crops If We Lose Immigrants

[Houston3]

They wont cut any crops, if they did they would lose money...

Same old story just with a new date on it.

[malamute]

If there really is a need for temporary foreign workers, then there could be a program that keeps them here temporarily but legally. There could be transportation to and back home, safe and legal.

I can see a reason to have temporary seasonal jobs open to a legal and temporary guest worker but not only for the purpose of getting wages down to ridiculous levels and to offer no job benefits like health insurance.

[malamute]

In reality very few jobs exist in agriculture. Less than 2 million if you include fisheries, forests. Only 25% of agricultural jobs are held by illegals so this would affect about 500,000 or fewer people.

There's really nothing stopping these farmers from getting legal green card/agricultural-visa workers now except they want their labor dirt cheap. Food prices certainly show that the savings aren't passed down to the consumer because food prices are sky high.

[teatime]

Originally Posted by malamute

If there really is a need for temporary foreign workers, then there could be a program that keeps them here temporarily but legally. There could be transportation to and back home, safe and legal.

I can see a reason to have temporary seasonal jobs open to a legal and temporary guest worker but not only for the purpose of getting wages down to ridiculous levels and to offer no job benefits like health insurance.

We already have a myriad of programs the farmers can use to bring workers here legally. They don't want to use them because it would mean that they have to provide decent wages and housing, plus it means paperwork and accountability. Oh bloody well! If they can't afford to pay their workers fair wages, then they need to pack it up.

[HubbleRules]

Originally Posted by Benicar

1010wins.com - NY farmers: We'll Cut Crops If We Lose Immigrants

I say LET THEM CUT THEIR CROPS!!!

It's better to take a stand and fight this battle, rather than see the conclusion to a warp-speed race-to-the-bottom for the average American worker - and all immigrants who are here legally.

[bradjl2009]

Why are they complaining about losing immigrant labor when there are so many Americans who can't find any work?!? I'm sure if they would try they would find Americans who wouldn't mind at all doing that work.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

You'll cut my profits if you won't let me exploit my slave labor!!!

[malamute]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

You'll cut my profits if you won't let me exploit my slave labor!!!

True, the same exact argument was used to justify the bringing in and owning of slaves.

[MIKEETC]

Interesting that these guys are admitting they employ(ed) illegals. I believe a fine and/or jail time is in order.