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Produce exec: No more contributions to Republicans until immigration bill passes

A key lettuce producer and packager in the western United States said today that although he is a proud Republican, he is so angry with House Republicans’ opposition to immigration reform that he will make no more campaign contributions to them until they act on the issue.
Steve Scaroni

Steve Scaroni
“I’m not giving another dime to Republicans until this immigration thing is fixed,” said Steve Scaroni, a Heber, Calif.-based grower and packager of lettuce.

In an interview on the sidelines of the United Fresh Produce Association meeting in Washington, Scaroni said he is not a big contributor but has given Republican candidates several thousand dollars in recent years.

Scaroni said he is also urging the industry to “stop pandering” to those who claim to be advancing immigration reform but in his view do not follow through. He specifically cited Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., as an example. (Chambliss voted against the immigration reform bill that passed the Senate earlier this year.)

“It’s sad when we Republicans get more support from Democrats,” he said, citing a meeting Tuesday with Rep. Juan Vargas, D-Calif., as a House member who understands the immigration issue.

“Republicans who talk about national security,” he said, should think about the meaning of fruit and vegetable operators moving their operations to Mexico because they cannot get enough workers in the United States.

“What could be worse than moving your food sources off shore?” Scaroni said, adding that if the trend continues, “there will be a huge fundamental shift in the sourcing of fruits and vegetables.

Scaroni, who grew up on the Imperial Valley, Calif., ranch settled by his Swiss immigrant grandparents, started operations in Mexico in 2005 and said that food moves smoothly across the border “if you go through the process” and “you’ve got to run a good operation in Mexico.”

His company website notes that the travel distance between Guanajuato, Mexico, and major U.S. cities is shorter than between Salinas, Calif., and Yuma, Calif., and the same cities. From his U.S. and Mexican operations, Scaroni ships various types of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, onions, carrots and sweet corn.

Speaking of the major reason Republicans have shut down the government, Scaroni said that while he doesn’t like certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act, the program is so broad prices could probably be raised to accommodate increased health care costs.

“With labor shortage you can’t raise your prices,” Scaroni said. “You just lose your crop.”

Scaroni said he believes growers have to think about their own solutions to the workforce problem, including increasing operations outside the United States.

“I’ve pretty much given up on a policy solution,” he said. When the Republicans don’t act after “the drubbing” they took in the last election, he said, a solution could be years away.

“This is going to render the Republican party a nonentity,” Scaroni concluded.