Florida farmers can thank Trump for the severe labor shortage
No one could have predicted that the expulsion of your workforce would create a shortage of labor. Except, of course, everyone.
Bay News 9, a media in Tampa, Florida, reports On a strawberry farm captured in the midst of a deficit of 155,000 workers in the national agricultural sector. The farm says that many of its workers are on H-2A visas for seasonal work. This program obliges farms to provide housing and transport, and it is more expensive than counting on undocumented workers.
“There are many hoops you need to jump to be certified – your accommodation, your transport,” said Matt Parke, who directs operations on his family farm. Not only visa requirements increase the costs and complexity of things management, but also “[a]In addition, the work is done, they leave. It is therefore expensive in a sense, but it is a responsible source of work, “he said.
I do not know what he hears by “responsible”. Maybe he meant “reliable”? But even then, it would only be reliable in the sense that workers appear when the visa allows. Seasonal visas offer no more stability than immigrants who are used to staying all year round, doing the hard work that no one else wants.
Another producer of strawberries in Florida said NPR the repression is to “kill agriculture.” It will end us. ” He cannot afford to hire many H-2A workers, so it reduces production to about a third of its usual production. And less offer means higher prices and an opening for foreign producers to grasp market share.
Parke admits that the shortage could signify a lower offer and higher prices because of course. Eliminate inexpensive workforce and costs increase. And with higher prices, foreign food seems more attractive. Parke himself stresses that Mexico agricultural workers earn only $ 5.20 per day, compared to more than $ 100 in the United States, and imports can still reduce Florida strawberries.
Now panic sets in.
“Whenever there is a threat so as not to obtain a safe, abundable and abundant diet, it should be worrying to the American public,” the president of Florida Farm Farm Federation told NPR. “We don’t want to depend on foreign countries for our food. It could be a very devastating reality. ”
Do not be shocked to learn that 87% of the political gifts of Florida Farm Bureau during the electoral cycle of 2024 went to the Republicansor that they are fans of the republican governor Ron Desantis. Oh, and they love President Donald Trump.
Mass deportations mean higher costs for farmers, higher prices for grocery store and, ultimately, foreign competition that undermines American producers. And when the farms voting the Republicans go bankrupt accordingly, tell me again – how all of this makes America great?
