The Politics of Produce

But when the alternative is the loss of a food supply and fallow ground, Southwest Florida's growers resign themselves to the risk, and plant yet another year's crop.

THE AGRICULTURAL JOB OPPORTUNITY BENEFITS

AND SECURITY ACT OF 1999

A Brief Summary The Agriculture Jobs Bill, Senate Bill 1814, sponsored by Senator Bob Graham of Florida.

I. Providing Legal Status to Undocumented Farmworkers

• To reduce the number of H-2A workers needed after enactment, utilize the skills of the existing agricultural work force and maintain immigration control, farmworkers who can prove that they worked 150 days in agricultural work in the U.S. during the 12-month period prior to introduction of the bill may adjust their status to temporary nonimmigrants and eventually earn the right to become legal permanent residents.

II. Making the H-2A Program Work for Farmers and Farmworkers

• Any U.S. worker interested in agricultural employment would be able to call or walk into a local job service office and get listed on the Agricultural Worker Registry by indicating the area, crop and length of time they would like to work in agriculture.
• Employers seeking H-2A workers would have to use the registry and hire all qualified and available U.S. workers before they could get permission from the Department of Labor to bring in temporary alien H-2A workers. H-2A workers would only be admitted if there were a shortage of U.S. workers.

III. Better Wages

• Under the bill, U.S. and H-2A workers would have to be paid the prevailing wage rate plus a premium of up to 5 percent on prevailing wages that are less than the prior year's average hourly earnings of field and livestock workers for the state. In no case could a worker receive less than the federal, state, or local minimum wage level.

IV. Better Housing and Transportation

• U.S. and H-2A workers would have to be provided housing or a housing allowance set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. U.S. and Alien workers get transportation costs reimbursed if certain length-of-employment terms are met.

V. Better Labor Law Protections

• Eligible workers would be covered by all U.S. labor law protections, such as child labor laws, occupational health and safety regulations, and wage and hour rules.
• Studies of existing agricultural labor standards and enforcement would be conducted.