Illegals and Dairies

 Hiring illegal immigrants can get Idaho businesses in hot water or spilt milk and the dairy folks aren’t happy about it. If a business owner in Idaho knowingly hires illegal aliens, under legislation proposed Tuesday in the House State Affairs Committee by Rep. Phil Hart, R-Hayden that business owner can face severe penalties. According to Magic Valley News, Rep. Hart told the committee federal immigration law gives states the authority to penalize violating businesses by suspending their licenses. Hart’s proposal calls for more severe penalties following a businesses’ second and third offense within a three-year time frame.

 This particularly affects the dairy industry according to Idaho Dairymen’s Association Executive Director, Bob Naerbout: “The Idaho Dairymen’s Association strongly believes that immigration and immigration reform needs to be at the federal level not a hodge-podge of different bills at different state levels.”

 Dairies in Idaho do employ large numbers of people who have immigrated from other countries  and are particularly vulnerable to this legislation. J. Brent Olmstead, executive director of Milk Producers of Idaho said for a dairy to lose its permit for 10 days would mean the loss of hundreds of thousands of pounds of milk.