AFBF President Zibby Duvall Crusader For Farm Labor Reform

AFBF President Zibby Duvall Crusader For Farm Labor Reform

Susan Allen
Susan Allen

Welcome to the Fruit Grower report, I'm Susan Allen. Once again today we are talking about an issue that many of growers from orchardists to grape growers are facing, Worker shortage. A new video produced by the American Farm Bureau Federation shines a spotlight on the frustrations of the nation's farmers in finding workers to harvest their crops. While the video highlights peach production in Georgia, it also outlines the scope of the farm labor problem across the U.S.

Hiring a seasonal skilled workforce to bring crops in from the fields to America's tables has proved to be difficult if not impossible for farmers.

Here's Robert Dickey Peach farmer from Georgia:

DICKEY: We just don't have the seasonal skilled workforce that is wiling to get out in a hot orchard and work all day.

That's why many farmers rely heavily on a program called H-2A, through which the federal government grants foreign nationals short-term visas to help harvest crops. But demand for those workers is growing and farmers in 22 states complain the government can't keep up.

AFBF President Zibby Duvall has been a crusader for this issue.

DUVALL:"This is a serious issue for farmers across America; you have a crop that's ready and your harvest window is narrow and your workers show up late - you're going to lose your crop."

Like Georgia peach farmer Robert Dickey Many of our NW growers have found there's simply too much red tape, too much paperwork and too many delays associated with the H-2A program.

Dickey: It could cost us our farm in one season

DUVALL: We're going to have to make a choice. We either have to import our labor - workers to harvest our crops - or we'll have to import our food."

An informal survey of state Farm Bureaus revealed that farmers in at least 22 states using the H-2A program have been affected by administrative delays that have caused workers to arrive days and even weeks late - leading to a variety of fruits, vegetables and other crops rotting in the field.

Farm Bureau is calling for Congress to pass responsible immigration reform that provides farmers access to a legal and stable workforce.

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