Organic Produce and Immigrant Labor

Today, a story from the AP reminds us that the very nature of organic farming makes that process more labor-intensive than non-organic farming.  Organic farmers, perhaps more than other farmers, are feeling the pinch as increased immigration enforcement makes workers harder to find.  The AP story notes:

Traditional farmers — even growers of delicate, hand-picked crops like the berries of the Pajaro Valley — can get by with up to 20 percent fewer workers.

Their crops might hang on the vine a little later, and they might have to shell out extra cash to keep workers in the field longer. But at least they can wipe out the weeds with chemicals, and focus their work force on harvesting and other tasks that can’t be put off…..

With stiff competition for workers, organic growers face the extra challenge of trying to lure workers to do particularly backbreaking tasks. Members of Diaz’s crew were bending at the waist to pull weeds by hand, a task that needs to be done several times during the growing season. And harvesting is done the same way.

The full story, which explains why many farmers (and organic farmers in particular) are joining efforts to promote a guest worker program, is here.

-jmc