5 Comments
User's avatar
Gina Inlow's avatar

You are completely right Nancy!! Well Written. I ought to know! We are Agricultural Farmers! Ryan obviously needs to do some research!! We also don’t use Illegals!!

Expand full comment
Nancy D Churchill's avatar

Gina, are you in the 04CD, or a different one? Do you like the idea of a certified agriculture worker? What does your farm produce? What are the biggest barriers to success in our current AG environment I know the state regulations are a big burden, and up until Trump, the feds weren't doing you any favors.

Expand full comment
Gina Inlow's avatar

We have brought up H2A for years. The past administration made it too expensive, after warehouses not paying for fruit. (But they get paid) We have Lapins and Rainier Cherries. Honeycrisp, Grannies and Ambrosia Apples. Registered Black Angus (sold for Lineage) and we grow our own hay.

Expand full comment
Ryan's avatar

Love you to pieces, but this is all wrong!

We (WA/US) have enough people to work, we do not need others to pick crops! This is a BS excuse and everyone knows it.

Simply put if our State and the Federal government would stop subsidizing illegals and/or legal visas by paying citizens to “Sit on Ass” we would not need people to work for lower wages.

I’m sick and tired of so called ‘MAGA’ who in the end cave to these polices.

I would be worse than Trump or Scott Miller! Anchor babies and and citizen birth right is a joke - we have plenty of jobs for people to work. If they don’t want to work then farmers will pay more - if Farmers can’t pay

More they need to charge more. Or/OR we quit regulating food production and simply allow farm to table.

Europe does not have an FDA - they just don’t. So, if a gamer enters a contract with food distribution plant there is no middle man per se… That’s the problem…. The Dept of AGRICULTURE does not have 1 single farmer working in Washington DC… it’s all bureaucrats. Get rid of them - pay farmers what there labor rates should be instead of subsidies.

Nancy, love you to death, but you are wrong on this issue.

I’m telling you I’m worse than Trump! Get rid of all illegals and visas!

Immigration should benefit the U.S. citizen Not/NOT the immigrant!

I’m 100% right in this and my argument cannot be broken! Period!!!

Expand full comment
Nancy D Churchill's avatar

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Ryan! I love how firmly you are committed to 100% deportation! I AM TOO! 100% against anchor babies and all that other nonsense. However, as you can tell, I believe that for at least a few years, we're going to need to accommodate seasonal workers.

I also agree with your comments about the Dept of AG and rule by bureaucrats. That's gotta end.

The H2A-Visa program IS a mess, and I think Rep. Newhouse's bill is a solid proposal for reform, which meets the needs and concerns of all the orchards and produce farms up and down the 04CD. Remember, these proposals have roots in constituent concerns, and Rep. Newhouse is VERY tuned into his constituents, which is why he as been able to hang on to his seat even after Trump came after him.

I know the 4th very well, having worked on a campaign in that district for a very short time. We cannot go "cold turkey" and get the crops in, at least NOT this year. Here's the interesting thing: In WA state, seasonal workers are paid a "living wage," because of state regulations. They're making a pretty good living, and many come for spring through harvest, and take the rest of the year off to go home and enjoy their families.

We DO need the AG producers to start training programs and allow our HS age teens back into the fields in vocational programs. Not sure if that's a Dept of Ag or Dept of Education or even a WSU effort.

A vocational program could help bring our local youth into the industry. I know several people who "grew up picking," and they were very proud of the skill and speed that they had developed before the immigrant worker programs took all the jobs.

Reasonable people can agree to disagree! Thanks for the feedback. Love you right back!

Expand full comment