Kevin McCarthy must get behind this farm bill to secure more ag workers for California | Opinion

Thanks to efforts by congressional representatives from the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast, Congress has a chance to solve a problem that has lingered for far too long: Making a way for farm workers to get legal status so they can do their jobs.

Rep. David Valadao, a Republican from Hanford, and Democratic Rep. Salud Carbajal of Santa Barbara are key supporters in the House of Representatives of the Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2022. The measure’s chief author is Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado.

The act would create a system where farm workers could apply for “certified agricultural worker status” to be legally employed at fields, vineyards, orchards and ranches. After doing such work for 10 years, workers could then seek permanent legal status to work and live in the United States. The measure would also allow spouses and children of workers to have legal status as well.

Fresno County is one of the top farming counties in the nation. In the most recent farm report, based on commodities produced in 2021, the county’s farmers and ranchers had gross revenues of almost $8.1 billion.

The value of San Luis Obispo County agricultural products exceeded $1 billion during 2021 — largely due to the success of strawberries and wine grapes.

Despite its economic status as a farming powerhouse, growers in Fresno County and throughout the San Joaquin Valley continually have trouble lining up workers, said Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau.

“We are in a constant, chronic shortage for the industry,” he said. Growers are increasingly being forced to turn to mechanization or even robotics for chores like harvesting, Jacobsen added.

“But to deliver a fresh peach or bunch of grapes, it still takes a set of human hands,” he said.

In his announcement backing the Secure Food Act, Valadao noted the critical role played by farm workers.

“Food security is national security, and our farm workers are an essential part of this food supply chain,” said Valadao. “While these workers play an essential role in feeding America, many of them live in fear because of our broken immigration system. Making sure our farmers have access to a legal and reliable work force and streamlining the process for the future flow of workers is just common sense.”

Valadao has tried for years to reform the nation’s immigration laws so that agriculture workers could gain a legal path to work in California and elsewhere. His efforts have put him at odds with GOP colleagues in the House, who have wrongly stymied such reform over broader concerns about illegal immigration and border security.

Key provisions

There are provisions in the Secure Food Act that conservatives should welcome:

▪ No persons convicted of felonies or certain misdemeanors, like sex crimes, would be eligible.

▪ Background checks would be required of applicants to make sure they do not pose a risk.

▪ Certified workers would have to pay relevant federal taxes on earnings.

The U.S. agriculture secretary would also have to provide Congress with an annual report on how many workers were certified with legal status.

Jacobsen emphasized that the measure is not a form of citizenship or amnesty. “It is just an opportunity for legal status” for farm work, he said.

Support needed

Among those who must get behind the bill is Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. Kern County is also one of the country’s top farming regions, and growers there would share in the difficulties of having enough workers. As the GOP leader in the House now angling to become the next speaker, McCarthy’s backing would be a strong signal.

Democrat Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno co-sponsored the House’s Farm Workforce Modernization Act and backs efforts to get legal status for ag employees.

Bennet hopes to get the Affordable and Secure Food Act passed in this Congress, which means time is running out, as the new Congress gets sworn in on Jan. 3.

The act is a narrow measure meant to benefit farmers and the workers they employ. It must not be bogged down in the broader discussion of overall immigration reform. That can be taken up in the new Congress.

Lawmakers should pass the Affordable and Secure Food Act so growers can have an improved supply of workers in the new year.

Correction: The original version of this editorial incorrectly referenced Devon Mathis. He is in the California Legislature.

This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 5:30 AM.