11/07/06 Turning the Attention

Turning the attention. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. This is the time of year where the Tree Fruit Industry turns full attention to important matters like the labor crisis. Jim McPherson with the Washington State Tree Fruit Research Commission feels like there is plenty of work to be done here. MCPHERSON: Don't have to tell you about the labor situation. Even if we do get immigration reform passed we're in trouble to get the quality of the kind of people we need for the periods of time we need them. Wherever you are in state and whatever you're doing. So we haven't slackened in that effort McPherson says it's not just about having people to fill the jobs but needing more quality workers. MCPHERSON: You know there are certainly operations here and there that are satisfied with the quantity and quality of their labor but I think if you are satisfied now it's not going to get any better and we're asking our, we are really serious as an industry about having year round better paying jobs. More secure into which we can recruit and offer people a career ladder like any responsible employer. And according to McPherson when the labor bills are finally signed and the ink is dry, there is still going to be the issue of making it happen. MCPHERSON: Even it does pass, then what? We still have a bunch of people that to convince them to work in production agriculture we're going to have to do a better job of offering better jobs. Tomorrow we wrap up our conversation with Jim McPherson talking about the Guthion ban. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.