MEDFORD (Oregon) MAIL-TRIBUNE

April 14, 2006

Growers back guest worker program

Rogue Valley agricultural interests depend on a migrant labor force

By DAMIAN MANN
Mail Tribune

The Fruit Growers League is urging federal lawmakers to back a guest worker program for immigrants who are a vital part of an orchard industry that makes up 11 percent of Jackson County’s economy.

"We want a functional guest worker program because we have an aging and diminishing work force," said Bill Eckart, executive director.

The league, which represents 25 local orchard companies including Harry and David Holdings Inc. and Naumes Inc., is weighing in on a national debate over legislation that could legalize some of the 11 million people who live illegally in the United States.

In letters sent to U.S. Sens. Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden last week, the league urged the Oregon lawmakers to help enact a guest worker program.

Last year, orchard owners found themselves scrambling after they discovered there weren’t enough workers to finish the harvest.

"These immigrant workers are in such demand that last year they were being recruited right off the fields to help out in forest thinning projects," said Eckart.

Local orchardists think immigration laws are flawed and don’t take into account the reality that millions of people come across the border illegally because there are so many relatively good-paying jobs available in the states.

Eckart said the average orchard employee in the county receives about $15 an hour.

Rather than blame the immigrant, Eckart said people need to realize that these workers provide a valuable service to not only the agricultural industry but other sectors of the economy.

In Jackson County, the work force is older and it is difficult to find enough people to work in the service industry, construction, forest thinning and agriculture.

While orchard owners don’t intentionally hire illegal workers, Eckart said that some migrants provide employers with fake identification.

"Somebody hands you paperwork and it’s only weeks or months later that you find out that this is a duplicate Social Security number or false I.D.," he said.

A guest worker program might actually limit the number of people immigrating to the U.S., said Eckart.

Many Hispanics, who make up a large percentage of those employed in orchards, would prefer to return to their country, but end up staying here because they’re afraid they won’t be able to come back, said Eckart.

Also, many of these migrant workers don’t learn English because they plan to return to their native country.

Commissioner Dave Gilmour said he supports the fruit growers’ stance.

"The laws are basically unfair right now," he said. "They discriminate against some groups."

Gilmour said immigration laws favor some countries such as England, but make it difficult for people from Latin American countries to come here legally.

"The reality is they’re here and we have to deal with that," he said. "We need large numbers of workers here on a temporary basis."

Commissioner Jack Walker said this isn’t a county issue, but is something that will have to be decided on the federal level.

He thinks more should be done to evaluate how much illegal immigrants cost the country in medical care, education, incarceration and other government services.

Overall, he said, "My view is what part of ‘illegal’ don’t you understand?"

Tiny Robertson, chairman of the Jackson County Republican Central Committee, said, "I think this is a problem that we are going to have to face, and face as a nation."

Expressing his own opinion, not his party’s, Robertson said he believes there needs to be some kind of guest worker program, but he thinks legal, able-bodied workers should be given a priority.