Farmers fear losing immigrant workers under Trump crackdown
Source: ap
SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- The head of Bethel Heights Vineyard looked out over the 100 acres of vines her crew of 20 Mexicans had just finished pruning, worried about what will happen if the Trump administration presses ahead with its crackdown on immigrants.
From tending the plants to harvesting the grapes, it takes skill and a strong work ethic to produce the winery's pinot noir and chardonnay, and native-born Americans just aren't willing to work that hard, Patricia Dudley said as a cold rain drenched the vineyard in the hills of Oregon.
"Who's going to come out here and do this work when they deport them all?" she asked.
President Donald Trump's hard line against immigrants in the U.S. illegally has sent a chill through the nation's agricultural industry, which fears a crackdown will deprive it of the labor it needs to plant, grow and pick the crops that feed the country.
Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_IMMIGRATION_CRACKDOWN_FARMS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-04-24-10-02-09
A few years back when they tried the "self-deportation" thingy here in my little corner of Dumbfuckistan, crops rotted in the fields from lack of labor to harvest. At first many white folks showed up to do the work but none lasted more than 4 hours before quitting. Now it will be nation wide.
EllieBC
(2,961 posts)Now they don't want to lose their cheap labour but they sure don't want to pay a wage that would entice people to labour in fields for hours upon hours.
Dumb dumb dumb.
Blue_Adept
(6,384 posts)Cripes almighty, there are laws on the books about this, yes? I get going after undocumented workers, but there are so many people that hire them that seemingly have nothing happen to them when they're just as "guilty" of committing a crime.
IronLionZion
(45,261 posts)for the same reason that white people can't be terrorists. Everyone knows who the criminals are just by looking at them. Why confuse people by pointing out that employers are breaking US laws?
Small farms do have a hard time of it. They compete with the heavily automated large corporate farms and the low cost produce from overseas. I don't blame small farmers for hiring undocumented migrants who just want to work and earn some money to live. It's not a bad thing.
It's nice to think that as liberals we would pay more for ethically grown food but to be honest we all reach for the cheaper option more times than we admit. Prepared food at restaurants and cafeterias will usually have the cheapest ingredients.
My boots I'm wearing right now were made in America by union workers but I saved up and bought them on sale as a treat. Most of the times I would get the cheaper option.
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)and the freaking KGOP is pissing all over America and America's dining tables with their obstinate FAILERY.
This is going to hurt everyone, except republican billionaires.
AllaN01Bear
(17,383 posts)dalton99a
(81,073 posts)Leghorn21
(13,520 posts)season, too. This isn't some distant, years-away-so-who-cares food catastrophe - it's literally just a few months away.
As usual, "we shall see"...
Ohioblue22
(1,430 posts)"it takes skill and a strong work ethic to produce the winery's pinot noir and chardonnay, and native-born Americans just aren't willing to work that hard,"
wtf
Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)I dont believe they are physically or mentally capable. Most people who have never worked in the fields, dont have a fucking clue what is required,,,, Having spent ur life having never performed this type of work, u just can't go the fields and do it!
NickB79
(19,114 posts)And I've met few people I consider capable of doing the kind of labor, day after day, that it requires. It wears you physically and mentally.
irisblue
(32,829 posts)After all RW media keeps saying that 'illegals' are taking the job of hard working Americans.
iluvtennis
(19,758 posts)..facetious as they don't want these type of jobs. They want manufacturing jobs as these jobs are beneath them. Our consumer prices for fruits, veggies, wine, all the things that undocumented helpproduce do are going UP. GAAAH
Bayard
(21,806 posts)The economy will collapse in Calif. The Valley grows much of the nations fruit and vegetables. Bus loads of Hispanic folks brought in everyday, and no--you never see a white face there. Not even the supervisors. Whether they are legal or not, they are indispensable for this economy and keeping food prices reasonable. Maybe that is what rTrump is ultimately aiming for--bringing Calif. to heel.
Glad I have my garden. Although I can't grow orange juice.....
Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)I can grow maters by the truck load.......
lark
(23,003 posts)He does not unless they are millionaire farmers. Funny thing is he himself uses them for his vinyards and they have already applied for quite a few foreign workers. Of course, those fields won't get raided. Can't wait until he raids competitor vinyards and deports all their workers but doesn't touch his. That will be a great lawsuit against him and one he will be hard pressed to win. At the min. his workers will be deported and he will lose a shitload of $$.
47of74
(18,470 posts)Fuck them. They voted for Lord Dampnuts and now I'm supposed to feel sorry for them? No. That's not how it works Dampnuts supporters.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Doreen
(11,686 posts)since I moved into my apartment complex 8 months ago there has been a change in employees taking care of the grounds. for months Mexicans were about 98% of the employees. In the last three months 98% are all white and is becoming more white. I still see a lot of Mexicans around but not as many as I used to just months ago. I live in SW Washington state.