Immigration curbs wreaking havoc on berry picking

[Amelia]

Immigration curbs wreaking havoc on berry picking

The Associated Press

June 18, 2005

SALEM - Tighter controls of border crossings between the U.S. and Mexico have led to a shortage of strawberry pickers in Oregon, leaving some prized berries to rot on the vines during prime picking weeks.

Earlier this week, an emergency plea for strawberry pickers was issued by the state Employment Department.

It's the latest trouble for an industry already coping with rising labor costs, a decline in strawberry processors and increasing domination by California growers.

``We're losing the first picking,'' said Juan Diego Sanchez, a labor supervisor on a 75-acre farm outside Woodburn. ``We're behind because there's not enough people.''

The optimum number of workers to tend the field is 550, Sanchez said. On Wednesday, he had 330.

Traditional seasonal workers from south of the border have not shown up this year, said Daniel Quiones, the migrant seasonal farm workers representative from the Employment Department.

``There's just not as many people,'' he said. ``There's fear about crossing the border and insecurity because of the Minuteman Project.''

The Minuteman Project involved civilian volunteers who patrolled the U.S.-Mexico border this spring by ground and air. Since then, the federal government has beefed up border patrols.

In Oregon, farmers and labor contractors said the government needs a temporary worker program.

Independent labor contractor Arnulfo Sandoval Perez told The Statesman-Journal of Salem that some strawberry farmers are losing $10,000 per day.

Jim Ludwick, president of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, said he felt sorry for the farmers, but that the situation does not justify more immigration to the state.

Instead of clamoring for the cheap labor, farmers should be lobbying Oregon legislators to remove the restrictions on children working the fields, Ludwick said.

``A number of years ago, those strawberries would have been picked by Oregon schoolchildren,'' he said.

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``A number of years ago, those strawberries would have been picked by Oregon schoolchildren,

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That was me. Starting at age 11-12 and right on through part of high school. And not just strawberries. It was all cane fruit, beans, blueberries etc. A few cents a lb to a high of .25 cents. Cash paid at the end of every day.

[Dr. Shane]

I picked strawberries when I was 13 and it is a miserable job. It is back-breaking miserable. It is little wonder they are having problems getting people to do it.

[wicklunds]

Maybe its time to start paying the harvest workers a fair wage then also... You might see more pickers if more money was offered for the degree of intensity involved in the labor.

[Amelia]

Makes me wonder, how many people really understand how much of our food has to be picked by hand?

[wicklunds]

They would understand when the prices are outta sight...You raise the wages, you raise the price at the supermarket.