Home > News & Media > Legalize farm workers; they harvest our food

Legalize farm workers; they harvest our food

TBO – September 29, 2011_

Do you like to eat? Who do you think is harvesting the food you eat either at home or in your favorite restaurant? It is harvested by the migrant laborer who is here just to earn a living. If you think a farmer could find alternative workers, that is simply not realistic. There really is no other work force. So as you have your salad and dinner with all the vegetables, think about who is harvesting it for you.

Every time the migrant issue is raised, the word “amnesty” is voiced as a reason to defeat legislation that could produce an effective host labor law. Yet no one has an answer as to how to replace these good, hard-working laborers who happen to be here illegally. If Florida does pass an Arizona immigration-type law, what do you think will happen? What happens if the Florida agriculture industry cannot find workers? My guess is we say good-bye to a top supplier of jobs in the state. I am not talking about just the migrants, but all the rest of the support industries.

If we allowed our farmers, they could feed the world. I would rather send food than money to people in the world who are hungry. Instead of pushing for an Arizona-style law, let’s find a way to pass a federal bill that allows these great workers the opportunity to work here legally.

Charles H. Joyce
Seffner

Click here to view this article online