Immigrant Farm Workers

I read with interest your June 22 editorial, “ ‘Guest Workers’ Aren’t Needed.” It is a common refrain to hear your statement that farmers should look first for American labor. It is said that if farmers paid more wages there would be plenty of American workers. The experience of Western agriculture does not support the statements. To the contrary, agriculture would prefer American labor. The hiring of foreign labor is both more complex and expensive. The problem is that the great majority of Americans do not want to perform field labor, no matter what the wage. The work is physically demanding and it is seasonal. To state that the labor availability problem can be remedied by simply raising wages is simplistic.

The General Accounting Office report you refer to also states that at least 40% of the agricultural work force consists of unlawfully documented individuals. The GAO notes that there will be no widespread farm labor shortage so long as the Immigration and Naturalization Service continues with its inadequate enforcement efforts. Agriculture does not desire to be at the mercy of the enforcement efforts of an overburdened federal agency. Farmers want to ensure a legal work force, and the proposed legislation is but one step in the right direction.

DAVID L. MOORE, President

Western Growers Assn.

Irvine