Immigration Reform | Produce Marketing Association

“The U.S. fresh produce industry will suffer short-term losses of as much as $5-9 billion in annual production of primarily import-sensitive commodities most dependent on migrant labor if immigration reform does not include viable guest worker programs.”

Source: American Farm Bureau Federation report.

By their nature, fresh fruits and vegetables are highly perishable and need to be harvested, packaged, and shipped in a timely manner. This is especially important in certain agricultural areas of the U.S. that have small windows of opportunity to harvest their crops due to the seasons. The industry relies on a strong workforce of both domestic and guest workers in order to gather produce from the fields; however, current U.S. guest worker programs do not sufficiently meet our industry's needs.

PMA supports immigration reform, particularly the provisions in the AgJOBS bill.

AgJOBS

The Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2009 (AgJOBS) is the product of extensive negotiations between farm interests and farmworker advocates. It addresses the current undocumented workforce and provides a path to legal status (called “earned adjustment”) while reforming the agricultural worker program that provides temporary legal status for farm work. PMA is on the executive committee of the Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform that leads the effort for AgJOBS.

There are a number of reasons AgJOBS must be enacted, ranging from border security to food security.

Immigration Reform Briefings & Related Resources

AgJOBS Overview - Learn more about the reforms contained in AgJOBS.
PMA Position Paper on Immigration Reform - Learn more about our stance on the critical issue of immigration reform for the produce industry.
PMA Economic Impact Study. This one-of-a-kind report details the economic impact the fruit, vegetable, and floral industries have in each state and Congressional district. Use this data to make the case for AgJOBS when you meet with your elected officials.
PMA Advocacy Action Center - Visit the Advocacy Action Center to write Congress on AgJOBS and farm labor needs.
The U.S. Produce Industry and Labor: Facing the Future in a Global Economy - Recognizing that labor is not a one-size-fits-all proposition, this USDA report examines labor issues related to several key produce commodities.
E-verify Program - This Web-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

If immigration reform is important to your business, consider joining PMA's Grassroots Organized to Win (GROW) network. This volunteer group of member advocates helps PMA inform Congress on immigration reform, nutrition programs, and other policy issues. E-mail grow@pma.com to sign up.