05/15/07 Ag to lobby congress on immigration reform

Washington Ag May 15, 2007 Tomorrow is Agriculture Supporting Immigration Reform Lobby Day on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. The Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform and National Council of Agricultural Employers are putting on the event in conjunction with such organizations as the United Fresh Produce Association and the U.S. Apple Association. U.S. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid says because of the battles ahead the debate on immigration needs to start now. Reid: "Well the time is right. We have to do something. The present system is broken. It needs to be fixed. What we have to do is first move to secure our borders. Make sure that they are safe and secure. Number two we have to look at the temporary worker program to see what we have to do to adjust that. Finally, we have 12 million people here with bad papers. We have to determine how we are going to make them productive citizens. The way things now look it is going to take a long time. Want to make sure they work, pay taxes. Learn English, stay out of trouble." As part of Agriculture Immigration Reform Lobby Day agricultural producers are being urged to contact their congressional representatives to make sure they understand the impact of the current labor shortage. I'm Bob Hoff.