2006-09-28 Urges Senate to Approve S. 2611, AgJOBS

  • Speaker: Valoria H. Loveland
  • Subject: Urge Senate to Approve S. 2611
  • Venue: U.S. Senate
  • Date of Speech: September 28, 2006

September 28, 2006

Members of the U.S. Senate

Dear Senator:

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) urges you to approve an amendment that may be brought forth during the upcoming consideration of border security legislation.  The amendment would include specifically the agricultural provisions of S. 2611, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (known as AgJOBS).  This bill is sponsored by Senators Larry Craig of Idaho and Dianne Feinstein of California.  This landmark bipartisan legislation would achieve historic reforms to our nation's labor and immigration laws as they pertain to agriculture. 

This legislation is critical in securing a legal work force for agriculture as well as regularizing the status of current agricultural workers through an adjustment program.  The bill tackles the issue of undocumented workers in the farm labor force in a way that does not perpetuate the existence of a large underground workforce, create massive disruptions in the agricultural industry, or drive labor-intensive agricultural industries out of the country.

NASDA’s current policy on agricultural labor is consistent with the objectives of the AgJOBS legislation.  NASDA addresses four areas of concern to all agricultural industries:  concern for the basic rights of all agricultural workers, recognition that the current H2A program does not serve as a viable means for addressing gaps in the local workforce, the need for a trustworthy identification system for non-citizen workers, and the need to regularize the status of the existing workforce during a transition to a more transparent and enforceable means of meeting basic workforce needs.

As leaders in agriculture, we recognize that the problem will not go away and needs to be resolved.  Farmers in most regions of the United States have faced critical shortages of entry level workers for many years.  More recently, farmers are facing rotting crops in the fields. AgJOBS is a solution for agriculture and workers.

We greatly appreciate your support and vote for this important amendment, in the hopes that it can be enacted now, or in a post-election “lame duck” session.

Sincerely,
 
Valoria H. Loveland
Director
Washington State Department of Agriculture
NASDA President