06/11/07 Senate can't get the job done

The 99 men and women who currently make up the US Senate did a lot of talking about immigration reform but in the end it was just that, talk. Republicans and Democrats are still talking, blaming each other for the collapse of the proposed legislation late last week. In the meantime, Idaho agriculture producers face the same problems with growing labor shortages. Keith Esplin of the Potato Growers of Idaho says no one can argue against increased border security. ESPLIN "Part of the consequence is that there's less workers coming into the country. With the economy doing well in all areas especially here in Idaho it's made the farm labor market real tight." Esplin hopes that Senate leaders will bring up the issue again before the end of the year. ESPLIN "I suspect that some of the leadership may be doing some work under the seams to try to improve their compromise and come up with a plan they can push through but every season we've have the last couple of years spring to fall to the next spring the situation just keeps getting harder and harder for growers to find enough workers and its just going to continue to get worse." Esplin says many seasonal field workers aren't coming back because they have found year round employment in the Idaho housing and landscape business or in the Wyoming gas fields. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott