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In reply to the discussion: Valley hit by worker shortage plaguing rest of U.S. [View all]DollarBillHines
(1,922 posts)5. Not if there are no takers.
In Wine Country, a lot of smaller growers had to form co-ops to pick a record harvest. Even the larger vineyards had barely half the workers they had last year.
If half of last year's force is staying in Mexico because of our bullshit laws and fucking ICE, no mount of reasonably increased wages are going to bring them back.
The same is happening with our olive crops. It has, basically, come down to friends and family.
It's just not that simple.
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Did the growers raise the wage they were offering???? If not, then I don't
coalition_unwilling
Dec 2012
#6
How do you deal with the seasonal nature of planting, cultivating, and harvesting? nt
jody
Dec 2012
#24
Historically there was a pool of low wage migrant labor that followed the seasons.
Agnosticsherbet
Dec 2012
#66
I have heard this crap before. The cost to pay a reasonable wage to harvest is less that
Vincardog
Dec 2012
#28
I will gladly pay the extra 2% that doubling ag workers pay would add to my food bill. Your
Vincardog
Dec 2012
#71
One of us seems to be defending the status quo. I like the way you put words in my mouth
Vincardog
Dec 2012
#73
Not true. The biggest factor in food prices is the overhead of non-productive corporate
Egalitarian Thug
Dec 2012
#63
Low wages are not the problem, it's hard physical labor and sometimes being paid by the unit. Those
jody
Dec 2012
#4
And how many of these farmers need cheap labor because they are working for agri-corporations that
kelliekat44
Dec 2012
#18
My home area is agricultural. The big crops are asparagus, cherries and apples.
amandabeech
Dec 2012
#47
Do co ops receive subsidies for the crops experiencing labor shortages? Except for tobacco which is
jody
Dec 2012
#11
Bananas are cheap about .59c to .80c a pound and come from much further away and tropical climates.
julian09
Dec 2012
#39
Tomato juice and spaghetti sauce are cheap because they're canned when tomatoes are naturally ripe,
LeftyMom
Dec 2012
#43
Posts to this thread show little to no understanding of the problems facing agriculture both
jody
Dec 2012
#17
Despite what you might think, we do have everything from grapes to orchards here.
justice1
Dec 2012
#20
I'm not sure "teenagers to harvest the fields on the weekends" is a viable option for some crops. nt
jody
Dec 2012
#21
It would allow their workforce to have some time off, and my kids have done it without problems.
justice1
Dec 2012
#40
"In years past, they made enough to support their families in Mexico until the next harvest"
hedgehog
Dec 2012
#49
It's the Real World, but people need to understand where cheap food comes from.
hedgehog
Dec 2012
#51
So there are six guys picking. Are there six guys and gals at the management company?
Trillo
Dec 2012
#65
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said farmings “becoming less and less relevant”. His statement is
jody
Dec 2012
#42
American fruit and vegetable farmers are now in competition with foreign suppliers for the domestic
hedgehog
Dec 2012
#59
You've hinted at what has and is happening. Government subsidies (corporate welfare) has so
Egalitarian Thug
Dec 2012
#64
With tight borders they've lost that next generation to exploit for cheap labor ...
Wernothelpless
Dec 2012
#70