Seasonal Worker Housing

The Senate held a work session last week regarding new regulations that the Department of Health is proposing that would add costs to worker housing. Dan Fazio with Washington Farm Labor says that it makes very little sense to them since there's a shortage of worker housing.

FAZIO: If there's a shortage of worker housing and it's too expensive, shouldn't the government be considering regulations that would reduce costs for farmers to provide free housing for workers? Well, I think that many people in the Department of Health would agree with us on that and would like to make it easier but they're dealing with federal regulations and they're dealing with bureaucracies and advocacy groups who don't seem to understand that adding expenses is not going to increase the amount of housing that's available for workers.

He says the Senate has been asking some tough questions of the Department of Health.

FAZIO: Essentially forcing them to put these new regulations on hold and on March 26 the Senate held a 2 hour work session to explore the topic. Roxana Macias from WAFLA set the stage. She did a really good job but our hats off to farmers – specifically McDougall and Sons, Gebbers Farms, and Sakuma Brothers who sent representatives that eloquently explained that Washington state needs to grandfather any changes to the regulation, and that there is absolutely no need to go any further than the federal regulations for temporary housing.

Fazio says that they are very hopeful that any changes to the housing rules will be minimal, but of course they are watching it very carefully. More on this as we get it.

That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.