06/01/07 Trying to address current ag labor needs

Washington Ag June 1, 2007 Even if Congress manages to pass comprehensive immigration reform and a new agricultural guest worker program this year that will not provide any relief for employers who need temporary workers to harvest this year's crops. Dan Fazio of the Washington State Farm Bureau says that is why his organization is doing what it can to make sure immediate labor needs are met. Fazio: "We have several members that have applications in under the old guest worker program and we are working with the state on some types of programs to bring in workers from other states like Texas and California where we understand there might be some extra workers. So we have two programs right now for this harvest season, one the H2-A program and the second the Interstate Clearance System. Both of which we have available for our members. If they want to give us a call we can help them out with those applications." The Employment Security Department says 22 growers have filed H2-A applications requesting some one-thousand workers, already exceeding the total for all of 2006. The agency has trained and designated additional staff at its WorkSource offices to help growers with the application processes and requirements for the H2-A and the Agricultural Recruitment program. I'm Bob Hoff.