Colorado Farm Bill Faces Opposition

"A proposal to help farmers hire temporary workers from Mexico is running into more opposition at the state Capitol which could force it to be scaled back. Farmers facing worker shortages and fearful of immigration crackdowns want the state to step in to help them negotiate the cumbersome application process for the federal H2-A guest worker program so they can hire legal, foreign employees. But on Thursday a series of immigrant advocates urged a panel of state lawmakers to reject the idea, saying that the existing federal program is a form of indentured servitude that allows workers, whose visas are tied to their jobs, to be exploited," the AP reported. "Meanwhile, immigration lawyers said the main bottlenecks lie with the federal background checks and State Department approvals, something which Colorado can't change. The House State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee delayed a vote on the proposal after a three-hour hearing. It's the second time in three weeks the committee has put off a vote on the controversial measure. Last time farmers testified in favor of the bill."

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