Farm groups join business leaders in immigration push
July 10, 2014 | 01:20 PM
Farm and business leaders got together in Washington on Wednesday for a news conference on the need for immigration reform. From left are Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons, Business Roundtable President John Engler, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue. (Alex Gangitano/The Hagstrom Report)By ALEX GANGITANO
and JERRY HAGSTROM
The American Farm Bureau Federation and Western Growers joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and other groups Wednesday in a Washington press conference and a “day of action” in 60 congressional districts in 25 states in an attempt to push Congress to take action on immigration reform this year.
“We need to prove that America can tackle its big challenges and that our leaders can come together and act for the good of the economy, our people and our future,” Chamber President Tom Donohue said.
“The arguments are over how to fix it, not whether to fix it. Let’s resolve it as best we can and get to work. Those of us gathered here today represent only a handful of the industries and individual companies. On immigration, we will do the right thing, the sooner the better.”
“We already have a bill in the Senate, which is a hell of a start,” he said. “We’re hopeful that the activities going on today will help us in that direction.”
Since 2000, the amount of agricultural imports from foreign countries has doubled due to the lack of migrant farm workers, said Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers, whose members in California and Arizona produce about half the fruits and vegetables in the country.
“If our leaders cannot come to an agreement, agricultural leaders will continue to innovate jobs to an increasingly degree in others countries, which is not to our national interest,” Nassif said. “My advice to our Congress is, ladies and gentleman, restart your engines.”
“Our farms and ranches demand people with seasonal skills,” Donahue added.
Without immigrant workers, Cargill will be consistently short well over 10 percent of workers necessary at any given site, according to National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons.
Asked if minors crossing the border into Texas will make it more difficult to pass immigration reform legislation, Donohue responded, “you’re damn right it makes it more difficult.” But he added that the situation highlights the need for “legitimate, well thought out immigration reform.”
“I think when you look at the border crisis right now, you really have to separate out the humanitarian issues,” Timmons added. “That’s what we’re focused on, the long-term solution to our very broken system.”
“It is an election year and people are very worried about [that],” Donohue said. “I am hopeful that will calm down over time.”
Donahue said the chamber will evaluate candidates and that the ones who receive 70 percent of votes from members will be endorsed. But he added, “I won’t go up there and say if you don’t vote for immigration we won’t support you. The bottom line is we will be very active in this election.”
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has told Obama that the House will not consider immigration reform legislation this year, and President Barack Obama has said that leaves him no choice but to take executive action to try to protect some immigrants from deportation.
Asked whether Obama’s executive actions will make matters worse, Timmons responded that they may.
“The issue really is you’ve got to have a legislative solution and I think the president wants that, members of Congress want that and American people want that,” he said.
“What is not acceptable is to not act and then be critical of inaction,” Business Roundtable President John Engler said. “I would certainly support the House beginning to act and pass what they agree upon. Telling people what you’re going to do and acting on what you believe in is a better strategy than saying what you’re opposed to.”
“The fundamental reality is if you don’t have the human talent required to succeed, you’re in trouble. We are a country with some people without jobs and lots of jobs without people,” Donohue concluded.
“Immigration reform is critical for the agricultural industry,” said Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman in a news release. “Many farmers rely on an immigrant labor force and without reform, growers will begin to plant less labor-intensive crops or food production will go off shore. Simply put, either we import our labor or we import our food.”
“We urge Congress and the administration to work together and with us to achieve real immigration reform that addresses the needs of farmers and the economy, as well as the country’s need for border security,” Stallman said.
The Farm Bureau said in a news release that its state chapters participated in events in many states, including Arkansas, California, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
The United Fresh Produce Association also announced Wednesday that it is offering a webinar to its members on how to get involved in the immigration reform campaign.
“You know that no matter what you may hear from Washington about political stalemates, the fact still remains that the immigration system in this country is broken — you have to live with the consequences of a dysfunctional process that affects your ability to hire and retained skilled workers every day,” United Fresh said in an email to its members.
“However, in spite of some of the negative news from our nation’s capital, there are still multiple opportunities to work with policymakers to bring about substantive change to make immigration policy work better. And advocates of immigration reform are as committed as ever to making reform happen. Learn how you can be involved in making sure that policymakers know this issue is not going away!”
