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By Bob Larson, Ag Information Network

From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. Pretty much everyone in agriculture realizes the need for reform to the H-2A foreign guestworker visa program.

But after years of debate, Enrique Gastelum, CEO at the Worker and Farmer Labor Association, says the time has come …

GASTELUM … “A majority of the U.S. population, I think, realizes we need immigration reform. It’s just, unfortunately, the ultimate people in power, the elected officials that can make this happen, you know, they can’t seem to get all on the same page and make it happen, right.”

But today, Gastellum says things are different …

GASTELUM … “There’s a lot of folks that have been living and working here that are essential, you know, to their operations that would love to see some immigration reform and let people come out of the shadows if needed, but on the flipside, even just doing that still does not address the labor supply issue.”

And for those who say if farmers paid more, they could get more local folks to do the work …

GASTELUM … “I get your basic look at this, but I’m sorry, we are not going to get 4,000’ish workers willing to go to Central Washington to go live in Mattawa, Quincy, Royal City for four months out of the year, to go work in the fields and then not have a job after those four months are over. That’s not how our U.S. population is built anymore.”

Gastellum says just because we have a U.S. citizen who is breathing, doesn’t mean they are willing to do the needed work.