Labor Shortages

Labor Shortages

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
It’s harvest 2018, there are thousands and thousands of tons of commodities that need to come out of the ground but there is one small problem. Who’s going to pick or dig or harvest?

As Idaho heads into the 2018 harvest there is trouble on the horizon. Not enough workers. Idaho Farm Bureau Pres. Brian Searle grows potatoes. “I’ve had calls from individuals that have told me that they have offered people $14-$15 an hour, that can be high school kids on up and they cannot find workers.” Searle says there is a bill on Capitol Hill that would provide a workable immigration plan at last. “in Congress right now there is a good bill and it has been tweaked several times and it provides an opportunity for a workable guest worker program, an H2C program that makes it much friendlier to the farmers and provides an adequate labor force for us so that is gaining momentum and we hope that it is presented in the house within the next few weeks.” Too late to ease this year’s harvest shortage but a relief in 2019.

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