Thousands expected to rot on Yakima's apple trees
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YAKIMA, Wash. -- A record apple crop is possible for farmers here in the Yakima Valley. However, that achievement could be out of reach if they don't have enough people to reach the fruit.
Farmer John Verbrugge is thinking positive. He doesn't want to lose any of his crops, but he knows the reality. Last year, he lost about a third of this late apples. They were worth thousands of dollars.
A cold, late season last year left farmers empty handed when migrant workers moved on to other regions. That wasn't the only reason for the labor shortage. There are fewer people willing to do the work.
"I've tried to hire kids from high school,” said Verbrugge. “I've tried to hire people through the unemployment office. We've tried H2A and they are all difficult."
It's also difficult for the people who want to work. It's estimated by the U.S. Department of Labor that 50-70% of the seasonal agricultural work force is illegal.
“So, if those people were screened out, you know we'd be in a lot of trouble," said Mike Gempler, the director of the Washington Growers League.
Tough immigration laws and strict border enforcement keep out some of these workers. Farmers want Congress to change the law and work with farmers.
"We need some kind of movement of something somewhere,” said Verbrugge. “Not just a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Maybe when there is a shortage of food, maybe someone will address the problem."
Verbrugge hopes it doesn't take those extremes for change to happen. Washington's apple industry lost roughly 3% of the crop. That's $40 to $60 million of lost revenue.
Farmer John Verbrugge is thinking positive. He doesn't want to lose any of his crops, but he knows the reality. Last year, he lost about a third of this late apples. They were worth thousands of dollars.
A cold, late season last year left farmers empty handed when migrant workers moved on to other regions. That wasn't the only reason for the labor shortage. There are fewer people willing to do the work.
"I've tried to hire kids from high school,” said Verbrugge. “I've tried to hire people through the unemployment office. We've tried H2A and they are all difficult."
It's also difficult for the people who want to work. It's estimated by the U.S. Department of Labor that 50-70% of the seasonal agricultural work force is illegal.
“So, if those people were screened out, you know we'd be in a lot of trouble," said Mike Gempler, the director of the Washington Growers League.
Tough immigration laws and strict border enforcement keep out some of these workers. Farmers want Congress to change the law and work with farmers.
"We need some kind of movement of something somewhere,” said Verbrugge. “Not just a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Maybe when there is a shortage of food, maybe someone will address the problem."
Verbrugge hopes it doesn't take those extremes for change to happen. Washington's apple industry lost roughly 3% of the crop. That's $40 to $60 million of lost revenue.
