KGO – TV (San Francisco)

March 28, 2006

Concern Over Immigration Laws

By Nannette Miranda

The debate over immigration continues to divide Americans on and off Capitol Hill. And perhaps the place it affects all of us on a daily basis is at the supermarket and our dinner table. Chances are a good amount of the food you buy and eat depends on a farm worker, and most of those folks are caught in the middle of the battle over our borders.

Agriculture is a $32 billion industry in California.. Farmers say that what Washington decides could have an affect on the choices you have at the grocery store or produce stand.

As Stan Lester's walnut grove is coming off their winter look, he and many farmers across the state are worried about the harvest months from now.

Stan Lester, farmer: "We all anticipate a very, very tight labor supply this coming summer because the border restrictions are very severe."

Numbers just released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture show an 11 percent drop in California farm workers during the past year.

To mitigate the problem, California farmers are hoping a guest worker program is included in immigration reforms being discussed in Washington this week.

Stan Lester: "I think it's vitally important that we are successful here in California because we grow over 360 crops."

Republican Assemblyman Doug La Malfa is a farmer too. The rice grower understands the dilemma, but tows the party line of punishing the estimated 12 million undocumented workers already in this country.

Assm. Doug La Malfa, R-Richvale: "Some form of restitution to a crime that has been committed needs to be paid to this state or this country."

Thousands of migrant supporters took to the streets over the last few days to fight for the right to stay.

Arturo Rodriguez, United Farm Workers Union: "There's no doubt in my mind that they're going to make a difference. There's no way anybody would ignore the voices of million of people throughout America. They're peaceful and people are just asking we want to be treated just like everyone else."

The California Farm Bureau fears the labor shortage would be another frustration that would force more farmers to close down. It says it would open the door for more produce from overseas, where pesticide use and regulations aren't as strict.

Stan Lester: "We have some of the highest standards in the world right here in California. I think people want that assuredness."

To make matters worse for California farmers, undocumented workers are opting for higher-paying construction jobs or jobs in the hospitality industry, where they can get year-long work instead of seasonal work.