March 25, 2008
Tomato Farmer Will Switch Crops, Says Guest Workers Needed
"Saying the nation's immigration system is broken, Pennsylvania's largest 
grower of fresh-to-market tomatoes announced Monday he will no longer produce the crop because he can't find enough workers to harvest it. Keith Eckel, 61, a fourth-generation farmer and the owner of Fred W. Eckel Sons Farms Inc., said he saw a dramatic decline last summer in the number of migrant workers who showed up to pick tomatoes at his 2,000-acre farm in northeastern Pennsylvania," the AP reports. "Eckel, who planted 2.2 million tomato plants last year, said he also will stop growing pumpkins and will plant half as much sweet corn as usual, resulting in a loss of nearly 175 jobs. Eckel, one of the largest growers of fresh tomatoes in the Northeast, said it cost him $1.5 million to $2 million to plant and harvest a tomato crop -- too much of an investment to risk not having enough workers at harvest time."
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B.S. and if they really need guest workers, it must be on a temporary basis, with no drain on the American taxpayer. In other words, like in every other nation that uses guest workers, when the job is done, you go home at your expense or the farmers, or the Archer Daniels Midland Corporation, whatever the case may be.
GEE, ALL THE WONDERFUL SLAVE LABOR IS LOWERING TOMATO PRICES
To like $4/lb....lol
EVER HEAR OF MECHANIZATION...
Fourth generation? Who picked the crops during the first, second and third generations, when there were no illegal alien 'guest workers'?
"he saw a dramatic decline last summer in the number of migrant workers who showed up"
Failure to plan is a personal problem, not a failure of immigration laws. And migrant workers don't just 'show up', unless they are the illegal variety. You must file a request, and you have to pay minimum wage with benefits. As there are unlimited H2A agricultural 'temp worker' visas available, guess Fred is too lazy to file the form, or just too cheap to pay for legal workers.
COMMENT: I'M NOT FEELING SORRY FOR YOU, THIS IS NOTHING BUT A GAME TO GET LOW,LOW WAGES, THESE MEXICANS KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE GAME TOO. BOO HOO YOU.
SUSAN
WHAT HE OUGHT OT DO IS GO INTO THE PORJECTS AND ROUND UP ALL THE WELFARE QUEENS AND PUNKS (GANBANGERS) AND GET OT COLLECT TOMATOES LIKE IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS
Why can't they use criminals nearing their release from prison or jail? They need some money to get started back in civilian life. In California they use them to fight fires, why not pick crops and other seasonal work?
I totally agree with impeachbush comment , it would be a good summer or permanent jobs for the welfare Queens and the Gangbangers ,who have nothing to do in summer time or the rest of the years ... There are plenty of workers in America , if you just know were to look at.. The welfare Queens and Gangbanger have no right to protest about working , since we the tax payer support them , and we need results from our money invested ,having them work the fields will reduce our crops.. It is a two way win , The farmers get a cheap labor ,for these people still get their Welfare checks , and We the tax payers get our produce cheap in a way and keep the criminals alway from our neighborhoods and from jails , for it is a big burned to support them in jails .. it is a win win situation....
There are plenty of idle hands wasting away in our prison system. If the farmers need more help. let all the criminals pick tomatoes.
I've read they are developing machines that will harvest tomatoes so why is it he can afford millions to plant tomatoes but can't afford to invest in and buy the automation machines to harvest them?
Brian
COMMENT: BULL SH*& BY THE FARMERS, ALL THEY WANT IS TO PICK AND PAY $2.00 A DAY. THEY THE FARMER WANTS THE EASY WAY OUT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT PLANTING AND SELLING. BECAUSE "WE THE PEOPLE" ARE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY, WE CAN'T SUPPORT OUR OWN FAMILIES, AND 20 MILLION OF ILLEGALS.
STICK THAT IN THE GROUND..............SUSAN
