Michigan’s farm labor shortage hits immigration politics

[TexasTowelie]

Sodus — Immigration politics are colliding with a growing shortage of farm workers in west Michigan, where farmers have turned to a federal visa program to bring workers from Mexico to harvest the state’s fruit and vegetable crops.

Michigan’s participation in the federal government’s farm labor visa program has grown nearly 14-fold in the past five years. Farmers say they desperately need the foreign workers to get their crops picked on time after years when vegetables were left to rot in fields.

“There’s a real shortage of agriculture harvesting labor in west Michigan,” said Fred Leitz, a fourth-generation tomato, cucumber and apple grower from Sodus in Berrien County. “You can’t go anywhere without farmers talking about how bad the situation is to get crops harvested.”

Farmers in west Michigan say the shortage of labor has resulted from fewer migrant workers coming north, a more secure southern border that has slowed the flow of Mexican immigrants and a Congress at odds over immigration reform.

Read more: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2016/09/11/michs-farm-labor-shortage-hits-immigration-politics/90246606/

[Sherman A1]

1. That is the second report of this kind I have recently noted

the first was a week or so ago from NC if I recall correctly in regards to apple harvest. (possible that you may have posted it here or I saw through another source).

Interesting.....

[FreakinDJ]

2. Turned to a federal visa program just like they were supposed to

In the first place