05/22/07 Farm Bureau fixes for immigration compromise bill

Washington Ag May 22, 2007 A dramatic improvement from the current system is how Washington Farm Bureau's Dan Fazio describes the agricultural guest worker program in that compromise immigration bill the U.S. Senate is debating this week. Even so, Fazio says it would be extremely tough if not impossible for family farmers to use as written. He says Farm Bureau is working to make some changes, for example the wage rate in the legislation. Fazio: " It is a super adverse effect wage rate that it looks like it is schedules to go up every year with inflation and we want to bring that back more to market reality conditions." Fazio says the bill also includes something called a private right of action which would allow anyone to say we don't like what this farmer is doing and sue him, similar to some environmental laws. Fazio: "The preferred approach for us would be that we work with the regulatory agency and if we are complying with the laws then we have some kind of protection." Fazio says Farm Bureau also hopes to make some changes in the verification procedures required of agricultural employers for workers they hire. Supporters would like to get the immigration compromise through the Senate this week but some opponents are threatening a filibuster. Fazio says even if the legislation becomes law it wouldn't provide relief for agricultural labor needs this year, maybe not even next year. I'm Bob Hoff.