Showing link between food, immigrants

By STEVE MARRONI
Evening Sun Reporter

After a week of discussions, films and forums about immigration and the role of the migrant worker in American agriculture, Bruce Larson gave his summary.

"What strikes me is the most humane thing to do is also the most economically sensible thing to do," he said at the end of Thursday's panel discussion on migrant labor.

It makes you wonder about the Congress lack of action when it comes to immigration reform, he said.

The panel discussion was titled "Migrant Labor: National Questions, Local Impact." It was held at the Gettysburg Hotel, and was hosted by Gettysburg College's Eisenhower Institute and Center for Public Service. The panel included Angelo Mancuso, the filmmaker of "American Harvest"; Gary Swan of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau; John Peters, co-owner of Peters Orchards near York Springs; Enrique Ruiz Sanchez, consul of Mexico in Philadelphia; Margaret Barajas, CEO of the Pennsylvania Association of Latino Organizations; and Chad Forcey of the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association.

The theme most repeated throughout the discussion was that farmers rely on migrant workers, most of whom are from Mexico. There is not enough of an American work force to do the work, or who are willing to do it, farmers say. They rely on migrant labor. But, with a lack of immigration reform and with inadequate guest-worker programs, many are illegal immigrants. It is estimated there are 12 million illegal immigrants currently in the country. Without migrant workers, farmers would not be able to produce as much, both increasing the cost of food to consumers and increasing the country's dependence on foreign sources of food.

As the heated immigration debate rages on, farmers are finding it more and more difficult to find migrant help. In one extreme case, Pennsylvania's top tomato producer, Keith Eckel, called it quits with tomatoes for lack of migrant help.

Panelists discussed a variety of issues dealing with migrant workers.

The first topic was that of the economy and immigration. Larson asked the panel what impact immigration had on American jobs.

Sanchez said there have been no statistical links between the rate of unemployment and immigration. Forcey, of the Landscape and Nursery Association, said if there were no immigrant workers, there could not be a functioning agriculture industry. As 75 million Baby Boomers retire, and only 45 million Generation X members take their place, immigrants will be needed more and more, he said.

Larson said the country is seeing record low unemployment and, at the same time, record high rates of immigration. He asked the panel what would happen if the flow of immigration came to a halt.

"In the last couple of months, consumers heard horror stories of all kinds," Swan of the Farm Bureau said about imported food. "It's risking the security of our food supply."

Peters said something needs to be done to balance legal immigration with farmers' needs, but it can't be done in one broad stroke.

"No one can say they're for pollution," he used as an example. But, if it was handled like some suggest with immigration, "we'd all be walking home from here."

Swan said it is up to elected officials to enlighten the public on the hot-button issue of immigration, but many are afraid to touch it. Many do not know the link between food supply and immigration.

Clifford Frey is a dairy farmer from Chambersburg. He attended the conference, and said he learned quite a bit.

"I agree with a lot of what they said," he said.

He was surprised at the amount of illegal immigrants, but thinks there needs to be a balance, something to help them become legal, to preserve agriculture.