Agriculture must be included in immigration debate

I have always been taught that you brand cows, not people. Unfortunately, the debate over immigration has unfairly branded hard-working, undocumented workers as illegals, outcasts, terrorists, and criminals. Is that really fair?

Without the millions of undocumented workers in our country, we would have seen many jobs go vacant and crops rotting in our fields.

Our leaders knew this, and that is why many of them turned a blind eye to the growing problem. But recently, our nation has become emotionally gripped by national security threats, and the reality of 9/11 is still deeply embedded in our minds.

So, for the first time in years, legislators are being forced to exert their political might into something they have avoided for years.

Fortunately, Idaho has Sen. Larry Craig. Without his leadership, agriculture would be in danger of losing a much-needed workforce. With undocumented workers making up about 70 percent of all workers employed in agriculture, deportation or enforcement-only policies would be devastating to the industry.

That is why I support Sen. Craig’s AgJOBS bill, which takes the realistic approach to solving a problem that has evolved over a long period of time. His bill provides a legal way for farmers and workers to satisfy the growing needs of agriculture and our nation.

Like Sen. Craig, I believe a comprehensive approach that simultaneously pairs border and interior enforcement efforts with measures that ensure a stable labor force for agriculture is in everyone’s best interest.

Why? Because without an adequate labor force for agriculture, there will be less supply, which will result in increased prices due to higher demand.

It also signifies a greater dependence on imported agricultural goods from other nations. In other words, if our leaders do not pass a practical immigration reform package that includes key provisions for agriculture, we are setting ourselves up for another crisis similar to the one we are facing with fuel-only this time it will be food.

While critics argue undocumented immigrants are stealing jobs, many forget our labor force is growing older in America. Younger Americans are also seeking higher paying jobs and are educating themselves to do so, leaving many entry-level positions unfilled.

With the nation’s unemployment rate at 4.7 percent, and undocumented workers making up five percent of our nation’s workforce, there simply are not enough Americans to fill all the jobs, especially if you take undocumented workers out of the equation.

What’s more, many who fall in the unemployment category are usually between jobs and are not looking to fill entry-level positions anyway.

Without this workforce, our economic engine would be in grave danger. Our nation has the opportunity to allow a very important faction of society to come out of the shadows in a lawful manner.

We need them, and they need us. It is in the United States’ best interest to allow them to continue contributing to our nation.

Keith Esplin is the Executive Director of the Potato Growers of Idaho

Keith Esplin
Guest Opinion

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