Deadlocked, Fresh Prices Settle & Backing Immigration Reform

Tuesday May 3rd, 2011 48 Views Northwest Report

Deadlocked, Fresh Prices Settle & Backing Immigration Reform plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

We all have seen sticker shock at the grocery since this last winter when fresh vegetable prices jumped but according to economist Gary Lucier even when the prices for farmers went way up, retail didn’t.

LUCIER: Overall we only had a 7% increase at retail and that’s just because the farm value only is about a fifth of the retail value for fresh vegetables.

For the first time the term “Deadlock” is being used in the Doha Development Agenda negotiations. WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy says he plans to consult delegations in Geneva and ministers around the world in the search for a different way of achieving a breakthrough. Mr. Lamy, who chairs the Trade Negotiations Committee, says he will report back to the membership at the next meeting on May 31.

May Day this year was a time for protesting for immigration reform as many people took to the streets in Seattle. The people marched for many reasons, some to protest deporting parents of children who are born in the U.S. while others were protests incomes and more.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

Here they go again, being more confusing than they have a right too. Sorry, Dolly, I couldn’t resist. My wise crack refers to the “no-match letters”; those notorious letters sent out by the federal government to flag undocumented workers who might be using false Social Security numbers in order to gain work in the U.S.. Sounds pretty cut and dried, but a no-match letter doesn’t mean illegality of the worker is a certainty. After being the focus of political consternation for fear that the letters would lead to massive wholesale firings back in 2007 and 2008 the Social Security Administration stopped sending no-match letters to employers . But as of April 6, the letters are back and their language isn’t any clearer now than they were four years ago. Even the bigwigs are unsure of the proper steps to take in regards to the no-match letters. While one member of a prestigious law firm recommends employers keep all no-match letters received in a referable paper trail, the Director of the Washington Farm Labor Association suggests that employers dispose of the letters after checking their personnel files and notifying the employee. Rock, paper, scissors anyone?

Thanks Lacy. For great buys on Farm Equipment visit BigIron.com’s internet auctions. Every second and fourth Wednesdays. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.