09/20/06 Labor Issue Far From Over

Labor issue far from resolved. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. It may seem that the lack of labor issue has been resolved but more like out of sight, out of mind. The immigration issue has not gone away nor have there been any resolutions. In fact there are numerous reports that fruit growers are still struggling to get fruit harvested. The immigration issue is not just going to go away. Recently a supplier of foreign guest workers, sued a California based blueberry grower and two labor contractors, claiming that the use of illegal immigrants has resulted in unfair competition. The American Farm Bureau Federation has been encouraged by an immigration initiative drafted by Texas GOP Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Indiana GOP Representative Mike Pence. In a recent statement the Farm Bureau said that the initiative to resolve the nation`s immigration challenges not only includes tighter border security and stricter employer enforcement - but also a guest worker program that would provide a stable workforce for American agriculture. But Farm Bureau notes that the Hutchison-Pence initiative is just a starting point - and should not be viewed as an end to the challenge. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has set in motion what may be the final legislative action on immigration reform this year--a Senate vote on whether to build a 700-mile fence along the Mexican border. Frist is calling for a Senate vote on the Secure Fence Act of 2006 which passed the House of Representatives last week. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.