Central American leaders discuss farm labor in California

This weekend, top officials from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala traveled north to attend the Western Agriculture Labor Summit in Fresno, California. The leaders, including Honduras’ president, El Salvador’s vice president, and Guatemala’s foreign minister, were on hand to discuss the growing shortage of documented laborers. As reported in the Fresno Bee:

(Honduran President Manuel) Zelaya said Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala each have the potential of supplying 30,000 to 50,000 temporary workers to the United States. What is needed, participants agreed, is a system under which the workers can come to the United States legally, with a minimum of red tape, to work during peak harvest seasons and then return home.

Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, also in attendance, was quoted in the Sacramento Bee:

"The issue of farm labor and immigration reform is the defining issue of this generation," he said.

"…we're dealing with people – good, hard-working people who are willing to do work that, quite frankly, many Americans won't do."

One northern California farmer at the meeting noted that over 90% of his labor force is undocumented, though he has little choice if he wants to meet production goals. All the leaders and officials in attendance agreed to take measures to help facilitate a better flow of legal labor to the north on a temporary basis.

Sources: Fresno Bee, Sacramento Bee, Ali-Pac