From KBIA.org, Peggy Lowe, 6 Apr 2012. It’s a long way from Forget-Me-Not Farms to the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka. But T.J. Curtis, a dairy farmer from Cimarron, Kan., drove the 300 miles because he’s desperate for workers for his family’s operation in western Kansas, where they want to hire another 75 people. He … Continue reading
From Examiner.com, Alison Peek, Salt Lake City Political Buzz Examiner, 6 Jan 2012. The proposed initiative for the November California ballot modeled after Utah immigration legislation is not a guest-worker program, according to Maria Machuca, spokesperson for United Farm Workers. “Guest worker programs bring workers from other countries to do temporary work and then send them back to … Continue reading
From AgriView.com, Jeffrey Hoffelt, Livestock Editor, 5 Jan 2012. Earlier this year, Georgia representatives passed legislation that significantly impacted the state’s agriculture industry. The restrictive immigration policy was one of the first regional reform documents-and many southern dairy producers believe that it sent the state down the wrong path. Of those opinion leaders, Everett Williams, … Continue reading
From FresnoBee.com, Bill McEwen, 4 Jan 2012. When a broken immigration system intersects with a patchwork health-care system — as it does here in the San Joaquin Valley — the inevitable result is the story of Marco Antonio Fuentes. After more than a year of life-saving care at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, Fuentes … Continue reading
From DW-World.de, Max Pringle, 14 Dec 2011. While migrant farm workers in California pick most of the state’s fruits and vegetables, experts says too many factors are conspiring against the often illegal immigrants in their struggle for better working conditions. Few shoppers in a San Francisco area grocery store say they have spent time thinking … Continue reading
From ThinkProgress.org, Marie Diamond, 28 Nov 2011. Determined to distinguish herself with the most draconian immigration position in the GOP field, today Michele Bachmann elaborated on her plan to deport every single undocumented immigrant in the country: [P]residential candidate Michele Bachmann called for 11 million illegal immigrants to be deported from the United States in steps. [...]Asked by … Continue reading
From UnionLeader.com, Simon Rios, Sunday News Correspondent, 27 Nov 2011. HOLLIS, NH — Zacharias Mitchell has been working the soil of Lull Farm for 15 seasons, spending eight months of each year here and four back home in Jamaica. His job involves every aspect of farming, from tilling to planting to mulching, weeding and harvesting … Continue reading
From NewsObserver.com, “An addiction to cheap farm labor” by Chris Liu-Beers, 24 Nov 2011. Original article at North Carolinz Council of Churches. RALEIGH, NC — During this holiday season of feasting, we need to be honest about how our food is produced. America has always relied on cheap labor to make agriculture work. The source … Continue reading
From HealthyCal.org, Matthew Perry, California Health Report, 20 Nov 2011. CUTLER, CA – A silver water tower looms over the local middle school just down Main Street from the Family Education Center, two of only a handful of buildings in this tiny community. Downtown Cutler is merely a blip on the radar to anyone driving … Continue reading
From MedillDC.net, Gabriel Silverman, Medill News Service for McClatchy, 7 Nov 2011. WILSON, N.C. – For every bucket of sweet potatoes Pablo picks he gets 40 cents. At that rate he’ll need to pick and haul 3,750 buckets to eclipse the $1,500 he paid to a coyote – a term for someone who helps undocumented … Continue reading
