New York Farmers Bruised by Increased Labor Costs

New York farmers say they are straining under increased costs as a worker shortage has forced them to use a federal visa program to bring in temporary agricultural workers from other countries.

While farmers are grateful for the H-2A visas, which lets them import workers, some say their costs have ballooned while their revenue is mostly stagnant.

“For us, there is no non-H-2A labor,” said Dennis Brawdy, partner with Amos Zittel and Sons in Erie County, which employs 72 workers this year. “Three to five years ago, we were 100% non-H-2A because there was an adequate amount of workers around,” Mr. Brawdy said of the vegetable-growing and greenhouse operation.

As the U.S. has tightened border security in recent years, many agricultural companies that had relied on illegal immigrant laborers are turning to H-2A visas. More than 196,000 H-2A visas were granted in 2018, compared to about 89,200 in 2014, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

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“Three to five years ago, we were 100% non-H-2A because there was an adequate amount of workers around,” Mr. Brawdy said“ He admitted to multiple felonies. Arrest him.

“many agricultural companies that had relied on illegal immigrant laborers are turning to H-2A visas” The owners of agricultural companies that rely on illegal laborers should be arrested, put on trial and put in prison. Then RICO laws should be used to confiscate their business.

That was my second thought when I read that, too. My first (gracious and naive) thought was “Wow, why did all the hard working Americans drop out of the ag business in such a short amount of time? Did they all become coders?” Then it dawned on me “Duh, you dope!”

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Source: Freerepublic.com

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