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Congress moves away from immigration solutionColorado In the last week of June, the Senate immigration bill was back on the floor and came to another close without an immigration answer. Immigration reform is vital to Colorado farmers' livelihood and the debate needs to be brought to an end. "Without immigration reform, our agricultural producers in Colorado and nation-wide will continue to be faced with a shortage of legal workers for the foreseeable future," said Colorado Farm Bureau President, Alan Foutz. "If nothing is done, this could soon turn from a farm labor issue into a food availability issue for our country and that would not be good." Colorado Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau have seen their fair share of difficulties and delays in their members acquiring farm workers while urging comprehensive reform. However they do not plan to stop pressuring and educating Congress on the urgent need for meaningful legislation. "We understand the bill is not perfect," said Foutz, "but without moving forward with on this issue we leave our country without secure borders and many industries in this country, including agriculture, without a stable, legal workforce." Comprehensive immigration reform, including border security and a viable guest worker program, is one of Farm Bureau's priority issues for this Congress. The issue holds serious economic implications for U.S. agriculture. Farm Bureau economists estimate that up to $9 billion a year in agricultural production is at risk if Congress fails to enact provisions that would provide agriculture with an adequate, legal workforce. Some crops have been reported as already rotting in the fields. Colorado Farm Bureau urges Congress to return to the immigration debate as soon as possible so that a meaningful reform can be made without wasting any more time. Statement by Bob Stallman, president American Farm Bureau Federation. Re: Immigration Setback in Senate "The American Farm Bureau is disappointed that the Senate was unable to move forward today on an issue as vital and critical to our farmers' livelihood as immigration reform. We respect the hard, bipartisan work that went into the legislation. It is unfortunate for American agriculture, as well as the nation as a whole, that a solution to the problem has not yet been found. "Up to $9 billion in agricultural production and the nation's food security is at risk if the immigration issue is not solved. Maintaining the status quo is not acceptable and is not in the nation's best interest. "Today's vote was a setback, not a defeat. We have seen our share of difficulties and delays in the years we have been working for immigration reform, when agriculture was the only sector drawing congressional attention to the problem. Farm Bureau will continue working with Congress for meaningful immigration legislation because reform is not a question of if, but when." Date: 7/26/07
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