{"id":7258,"date":"2022-05-19T07:54:44","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T07:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agraria.qodeinteractive.com\/?p=7258"},"modified":"2024-07-04T01:08:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-04T01:08:57","slug":"businesses-saying-florida-needs-migrant-labor-turn-to-guest-workers-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/businesses-saying-florida-needs-migrant-labor-turn-to-guest-workers-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Businesses, saying Florida needs migrant labor, turn to \u2018guest workers\u2019 program"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7258\" class=\"elementor elementor-7258\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f735ce3 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f735ce3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3b2a3e8\" data-id=\"3b2a3e8\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dc7f0d7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dc7f0d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p class=\"\">TALLAHASSEE \u2014 When Florida Gov.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/topics\/ron-desantis\/\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/topics\/ron-desantis\/\">Ron DeSantis<\/a>\u00a0announced his \u201cno excuses\u201d proposal for tightening the U.S.-Mexico border\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/florida-politics\/2023\/06\/26\/desantis-president-immigration-border-birthright-citizenship-wall\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/www.tampabay.com\/news\/florida-politics\/2023\/06\/26\/desantis-president-immigration-border-birthright-citizenship-wall\/\">on Monday<\/a>, he unfurled a plan that depends on employing more law enforcement and erecting more walls but left out any mention of the federal program that allows businesses to bring in temporary migrant workers legally.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cb662b5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cb662b5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote><p>\u201cNo American wants to work harvesting crops and doing manual labor, so we need a guest worker program,\u2019\u2019 said Rick Roth, a fruit and vegetable farmer in Belle Glade and a Republican state representative. \u201cThe problem is, they need to update the program to allow for workers year-round and give employers more flexibility.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d2e95c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d2e95c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Roth is one of hundreds of employers in Florida who collectively hired 25,451 guest workers under the<a href=\"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/h2a-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/working-in-the-united-states\/temporary-workers\/h-2a-temporary-agricultural-workers\">\u00a0H-2A visa program<\/a>\u00a0from October 2022 to March 2023 and 50,973 in all of 2022. Florida farmers rely on the program more than any other state, and the temporary workers now\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/citrusindustry.net\/2022\/09\/08\/florida-is-leading-user-of-h-2a-workers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/citrusindustry.net\/2022\/09\/08\/florida-is-leading-user-of-h-2a-workers\/\">pick most of Florida\u2019s citrus\u00a0<\/a>crop.<\/p><p>Roth and others say any conversation about illegal immigration should include talk of expanding the federal programs because they not only provide a relief valve to the border problem but allow businesses to address the labor shortage with migrants.<\/p><p>Jamie Fussell, director of labor relations for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, said the federal program<\/p><p class=\"\">\u201cis in dire need of a modern overhaul to align with current agricultural practices and to remove outdated barriers that restrict access for Florida seasonal growers.\u201d<\/p><p class=\"\">While the H-2A program is \u201ccumbersome and expensive,\u201d he said, it remains \u201cthe only tool in the grower\u2019s toolbox to securing an adequate agricultural workforce due to the lack of domestic workers.\u201d<\/p><p class=\"\">More than 120 businesses, including 20 from Florida, are asking the president to intervene. In a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/abicaction.org\/120-business-leaders-employers-call-for-letting-states-seek-work-permits-for-long-term-contributors-and-new-immigrants-to-ease-labor-shortage-and-inflation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/abicaction.org\/120-business-leaders-employers-call-for-letting-states-seek-work-permits-for-long-term-contributors-and-new-immigrants-to-ease-labor-shortage-and-inflation\/\">letter\u00a0<\/a>to President Joe Biden last week, the American Business Immigration Coalition Action asked him to expand a special category of immigration permits for individuals to fill positions in areas of the country facing labor shortages. Unlike the H-2A program, which requires congressional action to change, they want the president to use his executive authority to provide temporary work permits.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-526c36e elementor-widget elementor-widget-agraria_core_section_title\" data-id=\"526c36e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"agraria_core_section_title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m  qodef-section-title qodef-alignment--left \">\n\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"qodef-m-title\" >\n\t\t\t\t\tTwo Republican governors propose an idea\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-609af6e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"609af6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"\">One plan proposed by Republican Govs. Eric Holcomb of Indiana and Spencer Cox of Utah would allow states to \u201csponsor\u201d migrant workers for temporary work permits.<\/p><p class=\"\">Cris Ram\u00f3n, the senior adviser on immigration for UnidosUS, a nonprofit Latino advocacy organization, said there already is evidence that expanding temporary worker programs releases the strain on border crossings.<\/p><p class=\"\">The expansion of the H-2A program between 2001 and 2011 \u201cwas one of the key reasons\u201d for the decline in illegal Mexican immigration, said Ramon, who wrote a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.migrationpolicy.org\/research\/alternatives-irregular-migration-central-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/www.migrationpolicy.org\/research\/alternatives-irregular-migration-central-america\">policy paper<\/a>\u00a0for the Migrant Policy Institute on the H-2A program. A similar\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cato.org\/publications\/immigration-research-policy-brief\/h-2a-visas-agriculture-complex-process-farmers-hire\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/www.cato.org\/publications\/immigration-research-policy-brief\/h-2a-visas-agriculture-complex-process-farmers-hire\">study\u00a0<\/a>by the libertarian think tank Cato Institute reached the same conclusions.<\/p><p class=\"\">As labor shortages have made it difficult to hire domestic workers to pick fruits and vegetables and do other crop-related work over the past two decades, the federal program has grown, filling 11% of the 1.1 million agriculture jobs in this country, according to one\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilsoncenter.org\/article\/look-h-2a-growth-and-reform-2021-and-2022\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-mrf-link=\"https:\/\/www.wilsoncenter.org\/article\/look-h-2a-growth-and-reform-2021-and-2022\">study<\/a>.<\/p><p class=\"\">Roth Farms used the program for the past three years, joining with three other companies to bring in 330 male foreign workers ages 20-35, and Roth said they have been happy with the outcome.<\/p><p class=\"\">\u201cThey do amazingly good work,\u201d he said. \u201cBut they also cost 30% more.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9286d07 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9286d07\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b9e8c49\" data-id=\"b9e8c49\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1386caf elementor-widget elementor-widget-agraria_core_single_image\" data-id=\"1386caf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"agraria_core_single_image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m  qodef-single-image qodef-layout--default   \">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-m-image\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"1158\" src=\"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"c\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-2.jpg 880w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-2-228x300.jpg 228w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-2-778x1024.jpg 778w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-2-768x1011.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab419cb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ab419cb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Hey processing<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-00fdb1a\" data-id=\"00fdb1a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e1f19fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-agraria_core_single_image\" data-id=\"e1f19fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"agraria_core_single_image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m  qodef-single-image qodef-layout--default   \">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-m-image\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"1158\" src=\"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"c\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-3.jpg 880w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-3-228x300.jpg 228w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-3-778x1024.jpg 778w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-3-768x1011.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-770af9e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"770af9e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Vegetable growth<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-595e6c7\" data-id=\"595e6c7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e492144 elementor-widget elementor-widget-agraria_core_single_image\" data-id=\"e492144\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"agraria_core_single_image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m  qodef-single-image qodef-layout--default   \">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-m-image\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"1158\" src=\"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-4.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"c\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-4.jpg 880w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-4-228x300.jpg 228w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-4-778x1024.jpg 778w, https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/b-s-img-4-768x1011.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f8e40d2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f8e40d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Chicken farm<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8b2d4a6 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8b2d4a6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f9cfd93\" data-id=\"f9cfd93\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf6b95d elementor-widget elementor-widget-agraria_core_section_title\" data-id=\"cf6b95d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"agraria_core_section_title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m  qodef-section-title qodef-alignment--left \">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"qodef-m-title\" >\n\t\t\t\t\tFederal requirements benefit workers\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f84c65 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6f84c65\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"\">The federal government requires employers to provide transportation to and from the work site, housing and a minimum wage above the state wage.<\/p><p class=\"\">\u201cUse of the legal H-2A guest worker visa program is at an all-time high, and it shows no sign of stopping,\u201d said Fussell of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association. But the renewed interest at the federal level \u201chas yet to translate into passage of a meaningful solution.\u201d<\/p><p class=\"\">Ram\u00f3n said that smaller farms often overcome hurdles by contracting with foreign labor recruiters and, like Roth, work together to sponsor immigrant workers. But he added, achieving a work-around \u201cis not easy.\u201d<\/p><p class=\"\">The majority of individuals who have taken advantage of the program have been Mexican nationals because the Mexican government recognized the H-2A program was a legal pathway for Mexican citizens to work for the season, return to Mexico, and then keep coming back, he said.<\/p><p class=\"\">\u201cIf you make it easier for people to come here, you will have those routes be effective,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you take a hard-line position, and are not focusing on the legal migration system, you are making it harder to manage migration within the United States writ large.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ultrices sagittis orci a scelerisque purus semper eget duis at. Sollicitudin nibh sit amet commodo nulla. Purus faucibus ornare suspendisse sed nisi lacus. Proin gravida hendrerit lectus a. Ut faucibus pulvinar elementum integer. Lectus quam id leo in vitae turpis massa sed elementum amet cursus. Sit amet dictum sit. Aliquet sagittis id consectetur purus ut faucibus pulvinar elementum. Gravida arcu ac tortor dignissim convallis aenean et. Enim lobortis scelerisque fermentum dui faucibus. Aliquet eget sit amet tellus cras adipiscing enim. Orci eu lobortis elementum nibh tellus molestie. Eu nisl nunc mi ipsum faucibus. Vitae proin sagittis nisl rhoncus. Massa enim nec dui nunc. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11912,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7,8,10],"tags":[22,26,27],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7258"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7258"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12061,"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7258\/revisions\/12061"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lalagunadigital.com.mx\/bigforce\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}