“Our elected officials have kicked the farm labor can down the road for far too long, meaning that producers are being put out of business and consumers are paying the price.” – Texas International Produce Association President & CEO Dante Galeazzi
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EDINBURG, TX – Today, just weeks after the U.S. Dept. of Labor Statistics announced record high inflation for food prices, members of the American Business Immigration Coalition Action (ABIC Action), Texas International Produce Association, and Little Bear Produce joined City of McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos and City of Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza, Jr. to call on federal lawmakers to help secure our nation’s food supply and stabilize food prices by passing common-sense farm workforce reform legislation.
The event was the latest in a multistate national food security farm tour organized by ABIC and its business, agricultural and lawmaker partners.
Said Texas International Produce Association President & CEO Dante Galeazzi: “We represent 6,000 family farms and 30,000 employees. We implore our elected officials to do something to help address this crisis. Food prices are climbing due to inflation. Agricultural labor has been and remains the largest challenge for our industry. It’s been well-documented for over a century that U.S. domestic people don’t want to work in the laborious agricultural sector.
“As such,” he continued, “our industry has always depended on our seasonal agricultural workforce. But now our farmers are in jeopardy—and the U.S. consumer is going to see their food prices go even higher. Growers have had a 22-23% increase in operating expenses. Even if nothing else changes from today, we still have 12-13% higher to go in coming years. That’s why we call on our U.S. Senators from Texas, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, to express support for these efforts and make the Senate version.”
The mayors spoke directly about their local economic dependence on immigrant labor.
“What quality of life is there when you can’t eat? Look at what’s going on. We have restaurants raising prices, not because they want to but because they have to—because of inflation. The labor shortage is affecting everybody,” said McAllen Mayor Villalobos. “That’s why we urge our Senators to take a look at what the American people need, which is labor reform so that we can feed American families.”
“It’s my job to make sure that we address problems with common sense, which means working with both Democrats and Republicans to get things done,” said Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza, Jr. “Our farm labor shortage is causing food insecurity. We need Congress to act to address this now. The good news is that the House has already passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, and now the Senate is working on this. I call on our Texas Senators Cruz and Cornyn to approve this legislation that will help our communities.”
Said ABIC Action Texas State Director and Deputy Campaign Director and Dreamer Juan Carlos Cerda: “The agriculture sector is facing a devastating labor shortage.This must be urgently addressed to keep grocery store shelves stocked and lower food prices for Texans and Americans everywhere. A study by Texas A&M University shows that ag labor reform is an important part of a strategy to combat inflation and rising grocery prices.“
Said Little Bear Produce Senior Vice President of Business Affairs Bret Erickson: “We farm nearly 6,000 acres of products that are destined for family dinner tables across America. Unfortunately, our ability to produce has been under threat for decades and now we’re reaching a breaking point for our survival, while consumers are paying record high prices. Why? Because the cost of production is unsustainable for American farmers, and the leading cause is lack of labor.”
“Plus,” he continued, “the security of our nation’s fruit and vegetable supply has quietly shifted in favor of other countries. That should be concerning for everyone. Congress has done nothing about farm labor policy in over a generation. Our elected officials have kicked the farm labor can down the road for far too long, meaning that producers are being put out of business and consumers are paying the price. That’s why we’re demanding that the Senate take action and help protect the nation’s food supply.”
Said McAllen Chamber of Commerce Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs Gerry Garcia: “One of our top priorities is keeping McAllen businesses thriving and providing jobs. Local businesses need to retain their workers, hire the employees they need and create more jobs for McAllen residents. Agricultural labor reform will help accomplish this. We’re urging our Texas Senators Cornyn and Cruz to support Senators Crapo and Bennet in passing farm labor reform in the Senate.”
Said Edinburg Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ronnie Larralde: “We’re committed to promoting economic growth and job creation. From agriculture to Main Street, Edinburg depends on a diverse, talented workforce to drive the economy. We know that agricultural labor reform will help Edinburg businesses retain workers, hire the workers they need and create more jobs—because these new farmworkers will need to buy goods and services within Edinburg. We call on all legislators to support efforts to pass farm labor reform this year. Our businesses and communities depend on it.”
For more background on the Texas farm labor shortage, read this recent piece by Dante Galeazzi, President & CEO of the Texas International Produce Association. Among its highlights:
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In the past, South Texas had a strong labor pool of both Americans who lived in the area and Mexican citizens who crossed the border daily with a visa. But that labor force has plummeted in recent years. Between 2002 and 2014, the number of full-time field and crop workers in the U.S. dropped by more than 20% — at least 146,000 people — according to New American Economy (NAE). And the Southern Plains region of Texas and Oklahoma lost approximately 6,000 full-time workers during that time.
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When farmers post hiring notices for low-skilled labor in areas like planting, cultivating, or harvesting, U.S. workers take those jobs only 6 percent of the time, according to the Department of Labor.
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Across the U.S., if labor shortages were not an issue, the production of these crops would be worth an additional $3.1 billion per year, according to NAE, plus $2.8 billion in spending on related services. It would also create more than 41,000 additional non-farm jobs for Americans each year.
The National Crisis:
On the national level, Texas A&M International University recently released data from a new economic study on the link between stabilizing the agricultural workforce and decreasing inflation and consumer prices, showing that ensuring farmers have a stable, secure, reliable, and legal workforce is crucial to keeping America’s grocery shelves stocked, combating inflation, and lowering food prices (including milk, eggs, meat, and produce) for all domestic consumers.
Addressing workforce shortages facing farm employers and stabilizing the H-2A visa application process is also crucial for enhancing our national food security by protecting domestic agriculture production. According to the USDA, next year, for the first time in U.S. history, we as a country will be importing more agricultural goods than we export.
Congressional Action:
In 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act with bipartisan support. That was a good start, and now in the Senate, Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Mike Bennet (D-CO) have taken the lead on negotiating improvements on the House’s solutions and moving the process forward. Passing new Senate legislation is critical to solving labor shortages facing the Texas agriculture sector and sustaining the state’s economy as a whole.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, grocery bills are rising at the fastest pace in more than 40 years, and this year’s July 4th cookouts cost 17% more than last year and 27% more than before the pandemic. Prices for ground beef are up 36% from last summer, chicken breasts up 33%, pork and beans up 33%, pork chops up 31%, lemonade up 22%, and potato salad up 19% – some families were likely forced to skip a cookout altogether.
ABOUT
ABIC Action is the political arm of the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), a bipartisan coalition of over 1,200+ CEOs, business owners, and trade associations across 17 mostly red and purple states. ABIC Action promotes common sense immigration reform that advances economic competitiveness, provides companies with both the high-skilled and low-skilled talent they need, and allows the integration of immigrants into our economy as consumers, workers, entrepreneurs, and citizens.
The Texas International Produce Association was created in 1942 by a group of industry leaders who shared a vision to expand the Texas produce industry. These industry pioneers understood that by working together they would be able to reap greater benefits, thus TIPA was formed to represent the business, economic, and political interests of Texas-grown fruits and vegetables. In 2012, in response to the rapidly evolving needs of its members, TIPA’s mission was further expanded to address the issues and opportunities surrounding the importation and marketing of foreign grown produce that was being shipped through Texas ports.
Little Bear Produce combines cutting-edge cultivation with tried and true growing and harvesting practices to ensure that you always receive the best produce on the market.. We understand that the quality of your food is important to you. Little Bear has spent years selecting and procuring the most flavorful varieties, so that you can cherish every bite. At the core of our business is service and connection. When you buy Little Bear products, you are a part of the family!
AmericanHort represents the entire horticulture industry, including breeders, greenhouse and nursery growers, retailers, distributors, interior and exterior landscapers, florists, students, educators, researchers, manufacturers, and all of those who are part of the industry market chain. The leading national association for the green industry, AmericanHort connects the industry across states and segments, giving members opportunities that expand their network and resources to perform better, grow, and prepare for the future.
The International Fresh Produce Association is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain, and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support.
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives: Since 1929, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) has been the voice of America’s farmer cooperatives. Our members are regional and national farmer cooperatives, which in turn consist of nearly 2,000 local farmer cooperatives across the country. The majority of America’s 2 million farmers and ranchers belong to one or more farmer cooperatives. NCFC members also include 17 state and regional councils of cooperatives.