Recent Trends in the Market for Hired Farm Labor in the United States
|
|
- Jason Barker
- 5 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 Recent Trends in the Market for Hired Farm Labor in the United States Steven Zahniser, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, 1800 M Street NW, Rm. N5134, Washington, DC , tel , fax , zahniser@ers.usda.gov. Prepared for delivery at the 2001 meeting of the Latin American Studies Association, Washington, DC, September 6-8, The author thanks Bill Kost for his helpful comments and suggestions. Opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Economic Research Service. 1. Introduction Hired farm labor is a major input to U.S. agriculture. According to the most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture, expenditures for hired farm labor totaled $14.8 billion in 1997, accounting for 10 percent of total farm production expenses. In three sectors of U.S. agriculture, hired labor accounts for an especially large proportion of production expenses: greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture (40 percent); fruit and tree nut farming (27 percent); and vegetable and melon farming (23 percent). To fulfill its labor requirements, U.S. agriculture relies heavily on foreign-born workers, most of whom come from Mexico and many of whom lack legal authorization to work in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Labor s National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS), persons born in Mexico made up 78 percent of all U.S. farmworkers in crop agriculture in Fiscal Year (FY) 1998, up from an annual average of 68 percent during FY s NAWS data also indicate that the proportion of farmworkers who are undocumented appears to have increased in recent years. In FY 1998, 57 percent of Mexican-born farmworkers were undocumented, compared with an average of 51 percent during FY s Similar proportions apply to all foreign-born farmworkers in U.S. crop agriculture. Given the economic importance of hired farm labor and the significant presence of undocumented workers in U.S. agriculture, some policymakers have expressed interest in expanding the job opportunities legally available to foreign-born workers in U.S. agriculture. During the last several sessions of the U.S. Congress, lawmakers have considered but not acted upon a number of proposals of this type, ranging from immigration amnesties to new guestworker programs. In addition, the governments of Mexico and the United States are engaged in formal discussions regarding a variety of border issues, including ideas on regularization of undocumented Mexicans in the United States and possible alternatives for temporary workers (U.S. Department of State, 2001). Although these discussions have yet to produce a formal proposal for a new guestworker program, many observers anticipate that the 1 Crop agriculture is defined to include nursery products, cash grains, field crops, and all fruits and vegetables. NAWS covers field workers, field packers, and supervisors, but does not include secretaries or mechanics employed by farm operations or workers in the H2-A Program. 1
2 Bush and Fox Administrations will unveil a framework for continuing negotiations on this subject sometime in September. In the context of this debate, this paper aims to provide a clearer understanding of recent trends in the U.S. market for hired farm labor. Although an evaluation of the existing proposals for a new guestworker program let alone the overall desirability of such a program is beyond the scope of this paper, developing a better understanding of this important market should provide a sounder basis for these discussions. The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 describes the main characteristics of the market for hired farm labor, including the number of workers, the average wage, and the earnings differential between farm and non-farm employment. For the most part, this analysis relies upon published data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and builds upon previous work by Zahniser and Treviño (2001), who utilized the data available in late Section 3 offers basic information about the H-2A Program, the primary Federal program for admitting temporary agricultural workers from abroad. Section 4 summarizes the main findings of the paper. 2. Characteristics of Hired Farm Labor Number of Workers. In 2000, U.S. agriculture employed an average of 890,300 hired farmworkers, according to quarterly data from USDA s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The number of workers fluctuates seasonally, from roughly 800,000 in January to 1 million in July (fig. 1). Focusing on the high point of this cycle (July), the data indicate an increase in the number of farmworkers from 1996 to 1999, followed by successive reductions in 2000 and This recent decline does not necessarily mean that fewer farmworkers are available. Instead, it more likely reflects changing market conditions for farm output, as well as efforts by farm operators and food processors to restrict production of certain commodities in order to reduce stocks and raise prices. Wages. In July 2001, the average wage for field and livestock workers in the United States was $7.75 per hour (USDA/NASS, 2001). 2 Although this average is less than the average wage outside agriculture ($14.35 per hour), it is above the Federal minimum wage ($5.15 per hour) and has kept pace with the cost of living since 1996 (fig. 2). Like the number of workers, the average wage for hired farm labor fluctuates seasonally, but the pattern is reversed. Wages are generally at their highest (nominal) level in January and their lowest level in July. Although the average wage of farmworkers exceeds the Federal minimum wage, the distribution of wages extends below this standard. Based on an in-depth analysis of the Current Population Survey s reports of weekly earnings, Runyan (2000) calculates that 25 percent of hired farmworkers in 1998 earned less than the Federal minimum wage. The fact that a farmworker is paid less than the Federal minimum wage does not necessarily indicate a violation of Federal law. Some farm operators are exempt from this requirement, including those employing 500 or less person-days of labor in a [calendar-year] quarter and those employing workers primarily in the range production of livestock (Runyan, July 2000). 2 These amounts do not reflect the housing and food benefits that some farmworkers receive from their employers. 2
3 Figure 1: Number of Hired Workers in U.S. Agriculture Quarterly Data, January 1994-July ,500 1,400 Employment (in thousands) 1,300 1,200 1,100 1, Jan-94 Apr-94 Jul-94 Oct-94 Jan-95 Apr-95 Jul-95 Oct-95 Jan-96 Apr-96 Jul-96 Oct-96 Jan-97 Apr-97 Jul-97 Oct-97 Jan-98 Apr-98 Jul-98 Oct-98 Jan-99 Apr-99 Jul-99 Oct-99 Jan-00 Apr-00 Jul-00 Oct-00 Jan-01 Apr-01 Jul-01 Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Hired Farm Labor, various issues. Off-farm Employment and Differential Wage Rates. Because of the seasonal nature of agricultural work, off-farm employment supplements the agricultural earnings of many farmworkers. Farmworkers in U.S. crop agriculture were employed for an average of 34 weeks in the United States during FY weeks in agriculture and 3 weeks in non-farm employment, according to NAWS data. An additional 8 weeks were spent outside the country. U.S.-born farmworkers devoted a greater portion of the year to non-farm employment, while the foreign-born, not surprisingly, spent a greater portion of the year abroad. Among foreign-born farmworkers, time spent abroad averaged 11 weeks in FY 1998, up from an average of 8 weeks during FY s As was mentioned above, non-farm jobs tend to pay substantially more than hired farm work. In 2000, median weekly earnings for full-time workers engaged in farm work and fulltime workers in all occupations differed by $275, as measured in July 2001 prices. Over the past decade, the differential has varied substantially, to the point where it is difficult to determine whether the gap is actually widening or narrowing over the long term (fig. 3). Between 1991 and 2000, the farm/non-farm differential (in July 2001 prices) ranged from a low of $249 in 1991 to a high of $275 in
4 Figure 2: Nominal and Real Average Wage of Field and Livestock Workers, January 1994-July Dollars per hour Jan-94 Apr-94 Jul-94 Oct-94 Jan-95 Apr-95 Jul-95 Oct-95 Jan-96 Apr-96 Jul-96 Oct-96 Jan-97 Apr-97 Nominal Real wages were calculated using the consumer price index. Jul-97 Oct-97 Jan-98 Real (July 2001 prices) Apr-98 Jul-98 Oct-98 Jan-99 Apr-99 Jul-99 Oct-99 Jan-00 Apr-00 Jul-00 Oct-00 Jan-01 Apr-01 Jul-01 Sources: For wage data, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Hired Farm Labor, various issues; for consumer price index, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers (CPI U), U.S. City Average, August 16, The wage differential narrows considerably when earnings of farmworkers are compared with workers in non-farm occupations that require little or no advanced education (fig. 4). While drywall installers, construction laborers, and butchers and meat cutters earn substantially more than farmworkers, the earnings of janitors and cleaners and textile sewing machine operators are comparable to those of farmworkers. Moreover, these figures may misstate the actual earnings differential since they do not account for regional differences in the cost of living. However, in contrast to many agricultural jobs, non-farm employment tends to offer year-round employment, employee benefits, and more predictable working conditions. Where workers have a choice, these attributes draw some prospective farmworkers away from agriculture, including both U.S. natives and persons born abroad. 3. The H-2A Program The employment and wage statistics cited in the previous section do not include participants in the H-2A Program, a small agricultural guestworker program operated by the Federal government. Under this program, U.S. employers may hire temporary, nonimmigrant 4
5 Figure 3: Weekly Earnings Differential between Full-time Farmworkers and All Full-time Workers, (July 2001 prices) Dollars per week Real earnings were calculated using the consumer price index. Sources: For earnings data, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment and Earnings, January 2001; for consumer price index, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers (CPI U), U.S. City Average, August 16, farmworkers from abroad, provided that they can obtain the following certifications from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL): (1) that sufficient laborers are not available in the United States, and (2) that the employment of these workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) makes the final determination on the employer s application, and it rarely if ever approves an H-2A application without the DOL certification. In FY 1999, 32,372 persons were admitted under the program, 26,069 of whom were from Mexico (U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, August 2001). If we add these individuals to the number of workers counted by NASS for 1999, participants in the H-2A Program constitute some 2 to 4 percent of hired farm labor. Some farm operators and agricultural trade organizations have complained that the H-2A Program is too cumbersome to negotiate easily. In response, the DOL and INS have worked to improve the application process, as well as the accompanying regulations governing labor 5
6 Figure 4: Median Weekly Earnings of Full-time Workers in Selected Occupations (in July 2001 prices) Farm workers 319 Vehicle washers and equipment cleaners 356 Textile sewing machine operators 312 Butchers and meat cutters 427 Drywall installers 478 Janitors and cleaners 360 All full-time workers Dollars per week Real earnings were calculated using the consumer price index. Sources: For earnings data, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment and Earnings, January 2001; for consumer price index, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers (CPI U), U.S. City Average, August 16, conditions in the program. For example, on June 1, 2001, the INS unveiled an expedited, feebased system for the processing of various immigration forms, including employer applications for H-2A permits (U.S. Department of Justice, INS, June 2001). Moreover, employers participating in the H-2A Program have found ways to more effectively complete the application process. For example, it is not uncommon for farm operators to file a joint application for H-2A workers. In FY 2000, 3,700 applications were submitted on behalf of 5,900 farm operators. In addition, during the 1990 s, several former DOL employees formed consulting firms that specialize in assisting farmers with the H-2A application process. These efforts by the public and private sectors appear to bearing fruit, as the number of farm jobs certified as needing to be filled has grown from 15,100 in FY 1995 to 44,000 in FY 2000 (Migration Dialogue, July 2001). 4. Conclusions An examination of published government data reveals several important trends in the U.S. market for hired farm labor. First, U.S. agriculture continues to employ comparable numbers of hired farmworkers as in previous years. Although the precise number of workers 6
7 fluctuates from one year to the next, it is difficult to determine at this point in time whether recent changes constitute a long-term development or a short-term response to market conditions for agricultural commodities. Over the last 2 years, the number of workers employed at the height of the annual employment cycle has declined, but these reductions follow a period of expansion that lasted some 3 years. Second, U.S. agriculture continues to rely on foreign-born workers, many of whom lack legal authorization to work in the United States. This phenomenon, which appears to have increased in recent years, may partially explain the sector s success in hiring similar number of workers as in years past. However, a third trend the ability of U.S. agriculture to provide significant wage increases to farmworkers must also be credited. This accomplishment is particularly noteworthy in light of the fact that U.S. labor markets were relatively tight until the recent economic slowdown. Nevertheless, substantial differences remain in the wages, benefits, and working conditions associated with agricultural and non-agricultural employment. Fourth, temporary agricultural workers admitted through the H-2A Program still constitute a small fraction of hired farm labor in the United States. However, there are signs that farm operators seeking to employ H-2A workers are learning how to negotiate the application process better, and that the Federal government is facilitating these efforts by making changes to the administration of the program. These developments provide additional evidence that many farm operators have continued interest in legally employing farmworkers from abroad. References Migration Dialogue, University of California, Davis. H-2A, H-2B. Rural Migration News, Vol. 7, No. 3 (July 2001), < Runyan, Jack L. Profile of Hired Farmworkers, 1998: Annual Averages. Agricultural Economic Report No. 790 (AER-790), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, November A Summary of Rules and Regulations Affecting Farm Employment: AH-719, U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, July U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Farm Labor, various issues, < (may also be accessed via the NASS web site at < U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). INS Announces Premium Processing Service for Employers. News Release, June 1, 2001, < Table 38: Nonimmigrants Admitted as Temporary Workers, Exchange Visitors, and Intracompany Transferees by Region and Country of Citizenship: Fiscal Year In 7
8 1999 Statistical Yearbook of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (forthcoming), < August 13, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers (CPI U), U.S. City Average, <ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/cpi/cpiai.txt>, August 16, Employment and Earnings, various issues. U.S. Department of State. Joint Statement of the US-Mexico High Level Working Group on Migration. Press statement, Richard Boucher, spokesman. Washington, DC, April 4, 2001, < Zahniser, Steven S., and Florencio Treviño. Hired Farm Labor: Comparing the U.S. & Mexico. In U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Agricultural Outlook, AGO-278 (January/February 2001), pp < 8
Guest Workers: New Solution, New Problem?
Guest Workers: New Solution, New Problem? by Philip Martin University of California at Davis March 21, 2002 The opinions expressed in this study are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the
More informationUC Agriculture & Natural Resources California Agriculture
UC Agriculture & Natural Resources California Agriculture Title Expanded production of labor-intensive crops increases agricultural employment Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9tz5m7cr Journal
More informationAbstract. Acknowledgments
Profile of Hired Farmworkers, 1998 Annual Averages. By Jack L. Runyan. Food and Rural Economics Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Economic Report No. 790.
More informationAgricultural Outlook Forum Presented: March 1-2, 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Outlook Forum Presented: March 1-2, 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture IMMIGRATION REFORM AND AGRICULTURE William Kandel & Ashok Mishra Resource and Rural Economics Division Economic Research
More informationPoverty and the Binational Population: A Note on Poverty Measurement
Poverty and the Binational Population: A Note on Poverty Measurement Dr. Anita Alves Pena Colorado State University Hispanic Economic Issues Conference Americas Center, Atlanta, GA November 2010 Previous
More informationThe H-2A Program and Immigration Reform in the United States. Berdikul Qushim, Zhengfei Guan, 1 Fritz M. Roka University of Florida
The H-2A Program and Immigration Reform in the United States Berdikul Qushim, Zhengfei Guan, 1 Fritz M. Roka University of Florida Introduction The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952 authorized
More informationThe Florida Farm Labor Market
The Florida Farm Labor Market Lurleen M. Walters, Robert D. Emerson, Nobuyuki Iwai & Jamille Palacios International Agricultural Trade & Policy Center Food & Resource Economics Department University of
More informationImmigration Policy and Its Possible Effects on U.S. Agriculture
Menu Economic Research Service Stay Connected Feature: Farm Economy June 05, 2012 PRINT PDF EMAIL Immigration Policy and Its Possible Effects on U.S. Agriculture by Steven Zahniser, Thomas Hertz, and Maureen
More informationAPPENDIX L. Characteristics of Farmworkers
APPENDIX L Farmworker Housing Needs An excerpt from the 2001 Fresno County Regional Housing Needs Allocation Plan Prepared by the Council of Fresno County Governments Approved September 27, 2001 Characteristics
More informationAn Overview of the Farm Labor Market
An Overview of the Farm Labor Market Tom Hertz Economic Research Service, USDA Contact: thertz@ers.usda.gov Presentation to AGree panel titled: Looking to 2020: What Does the Future Hold for Foreign-born
More informationThe H-2A Program and Immigration Reform in the United States 1
FE1029 The H-2A Program and Immigration Reform in the United States 1 Berdikul Qushim, Zhengfei Guan, and Fritz M. Roka 2 Introduction The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952 authorized a nonimmigrant
More information[ : The National Agricultural Workers Survey, Part A] SUPPORTING STATEMENT THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKERS SURVEY (NAWS)
SUPPORTING STATEMENT THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKERS SURVEY (NAWS) Introduction The Department of Labor s Employment & Training Administration (ETA) requests the Office of Management and Budget s (OMB)
More informationMigrant, Seasonal and H-2A Visa Workers. Women in Ag Webinar February 25, 2015 Sarah Everhart, Esq.
Migrant, Seasonal and H-2A Visa Workers Women in Ag Webinar February 25, 2015 Sarah Everhart, Esq. Disclaimer This presentation is intended to provide general information and should not be construed as
More informationExecutive Summary. Overview --Fresh Market Tomatoes in California and Baja
Executive Summary Overview --Fresh Market Tomatoes in California and Baja This case study focuses on fresh tomato production in the Stockton, Merced, Fresno, San Diego, and San Quentin areas. California
More informationStatistical Brief No. 2 Cifras Breves No. 2
Statistical Brief No. 2 Cifras Breves No. 2 MICHIGAN S FARMWORKERS: A Status Report on Employment and Housing By Refugio I. Rochín, Ph.D. Director and Professor, JSRI Marcelo E. Siles, Ph.D. Research Associate,
More informationImmigration and the U.S. Economy
Immigration and the U.S. Economy Bill Herrin, Ph.D. Director School of International Studies Professor of Economics University of the Pacific The last 200 years of U.S. Immigration in one chart Source:
More informationImmigration and Farm Labor: Policy Options and Consequences Philip Martin April 23, 2012
Immigration and Farm Labor: Policy Options and Consequences Philip Martin plmartin@ucdavis.edu April 23, 2012 ABSTRACT... 1 FARM JOBS AND WORKERS... 1 IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT... 3 ENFORCEMENT AND AGRICULTURE...
More informationLabor Market Characteristics of Agricultural Workers in the United States,
Cornell University ILR School DigitalCommons@ILR Federal Publications Key Workplace Documents 1-24-2003 Labor Market Characteristics of Agricultural Workers in the United States, 1996-2001 Gerald Mayer
More informationFarmworker Housing Needs
Farmworker Housing Needs September 2001 Prepared for Florida Housing Finance Corporation 227 N. Bronough St., Suite 5000 Tallahassee, Florida 32301-1329 Prepared by Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing
More informationIRLE. A Comparison of The CPS and NAWS Surveys of Agricultural Workers. IRLE WORKING PAPER #32-91 June 1991
IRLE IRLE WORKING PAPER #32-91 June 1991 A Comparison of The CPS and Surveys of Agricultural Workers Susan M. Gabbard, Richard Mines, and Jeffrey M. Perloff Cite as: Susan M. Gabbard, Richard Mines, and
More informationThis analysis confirms other recent research showing a dramatic increase in the education level of newly
CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES April 2018 Better Educated, but Not Better Off A look at the education level and socioeconomic success of recent immigrants, to By Steven A. Camarota and Karen Zeigler This
More informationNational Farmers Federation
National Farmers Federation Submission to the 457 Programme Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) 8 March 2016 Page 1 NFF Member Organisations Page 2 The National Farmers Federation (NFF)
More informationImmigration & Farm Labor 2017
Immigration & Farm Labor 2017 Philip Martin: plmartin@ucdavis.edu Finding sufficient & affordable labor is the farmer s #1 challenge H.P. Stabler (1903) CA Highlights Hired workers: average employ, 425,000
More informationImmigration Reform and Agriculture Conference: Implications for Farmers, Farm Workers, and Communities University of California, D.C.
Immigration Reform and Agriculture Conference: Implications for Farmers, Farm Workers, and Communities University of California, D.C. Campus 12 May 2011 Changing Characteristics of U.S. Farm Workers: 21
More informationForeign Agricultural Workers Increase Farm Production
Statement for the Record of David Bier of the Cato Institute 1 Submitted to Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, House Committee on the Judiciary Hearing on Agricultural Guestworkers: Meeting
More information8AMBER WAVES VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
8AMBER WAVES VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3 F E A T U R E William Kandel, USDA/ERS ECONOMIC RESEARCH SERVICE/USDA Rural s Employment and Residential Trends William Kandel wkandel@ers.usda.gov Constance Newman cnewman@ers.usda.gov
More informationFISCAL POLICY INSTITUTE
FISCAL POLICY INSTITUTE Learning from the 90s How poor public choices contributed to income erosion in New York City, and what we can do to chart an effective course out of the current downturn Labor Day,
More informationH-2A and H-2B Temporary Worker Visas: Policy and Related Issues
H-2A and H-2B Temporary Worker Visas: Policy and Related Issues /name redacted/ Specialist in Immigration Policy May 10, 2017 Congressional Research Service 7-... www.crs.gov R44849 Summary Under current
More informationTheme Overview: The Role of Guest Workers in U.S. Agriculture
1st Quarter 2019 34(1) Theme Overview: The Role of Guest Workers in U.S. Agriculture Stephen Devadoss and Jeff Luckstead JEL Classifications: J61, Q18, Q22 Keywords: Agriculture, H-2A program, Immigration
More informationFarm Labor Shortages and Immigration Policy
Cornell University ILR School DigitalCommons@ILR Federal Publications Key Workplace Documents 2-22-2005 Farm Labor Shortages and Immigration Policy Linda Levine Congressional Research Service Follow this
More informationWhat Is the Farm Bill?
Renée Johnson Specialist in Agricultural Policy Jim Monke Specialist in Agricultural Policy June 21, 2013 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Congressional Research
More informationImmigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs
Order Code RL32044 Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs Updated May 28, 2008 Andorra Bruno Specialist in Immigration Policy Domestic Social Policy Division Immigration: Policy
More informationThe Shadow Value of Legal Status --A Hedonic Analysis of the Earnings of U.S. Farm Workers 1
The Shadow Value of Legal Status --A Hedonic Analysis of the Earnings of U.S. Farm Workers 1 June, 3 rd, 2013 Sun Ling Wang 2 Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Daniel Carroll Employment
More informationReplacing the Undocumented Work Force
Replacing the Undocumented Work Force David A. Jaeger, Ph.D. Center for American Progress March 2006 Replacing the Undocumented Work Force By David A. Jaeger, Ph.D. i I. Introduction Perhaps no aspect
More information2017 Nonresident Visitation, Expenditures & Economic Impact Estimates
University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research 3-2018 2017 Nonresident Visitation,
More informationCRS Report for Congress
Order Code RL32044 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs Updated April 6, 2006 Andorra Bruno Specialist in Social Legislation
More informationto identify US farmworkers. USDOL will no longer exercise direct oversight to this process.
The United Farm Workers strongly opposes the Bush Administration s proposed changes to the regulations of the H-2A agricultural guestworker program. The proposed changes are arbitrary, capricious and contrary
More informationFarm Labor Shortages and Immigration Policy
Linda Levine Specialist in Labor Economics November 9, 2009 Congressional Research Service CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL30395 Summary The
More informationHired Labor Use in the Texas Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Industry
Hired Labor Use in the Texas Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Industry Parr Rosson, Flynn Adcock, Marco Palma and Luis Ribera 1 CNAS 2008-01 April 2008 1 Rosson is Professor and Director, Center for North American
More informationImmigration & Farm Labor
Immigration & Farm Labor Philip Martin: plmartin@ucdavis.edu 15% 10% Percent Change in Real Wages From Year Ago, Crop Workers, CA, FL, US CA FL US 5% 0% -5% -10% 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
More informationCRS Report for Congress
Order Code RL32044 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs Updated January 26, 2006 Andorra Bruno Specialist in Social Legislation
More informationA BASELINE STUDY OF LABOR ISSUES AND TRENDS IN U.S. PORK PRODUCTION
March 2018 A BASELINE STUDY OF LABOR ISSUES AND TRENDS IN U.S. PORK PRODUCTION Project Researchers: Christian Boessen, Georgeanne Artz, and Lee Schulz Research Commissioned by the: National Pork Producers
More informationImmigration and the U.S. Economy
Immigration and the U.S. Economy Pia M. Orrenius, Ph.D. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas June 19, 2007 Mercatus Center, George Mason University Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are those of the presenter;
More informationWhat Is the Farm Bill?
Renée Johnson Specialist in Agricultural Policy Jim Monke Specialist in Agricultural Policy June 21, 2013 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Congressional Research
More informationHistory of Immigration to Texas
History of Immigration to Texas For most of its history, Texas has attracted settlers from the rest of the nation rather than abroad Mexican immigrants did not begin to settle permanently until late 1970s
More informationImmigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs
Order Code RL32044 Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs Updated June 27, 2007 Andorra Bruno Specialist in Social Legislation Domestic Social Policy Division Immigration:
More informationGDP per capita growth
GDP per capita growth 1980 Index = 100 180 160 140 120 100 After NAFTA United States Canada Mexico 80 80 82 84 86 Source: International Monetary Fund. 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 Job growth: U.S. vs.
More informationCRS Report for Congress
Order Code RL32044 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Immigration: Policy Considerations Related to Guest Worker Programs Updated June 8, 2004 Andorra Bruno Analyst in American National
More informationUnderstanding Immigration:
Understanding Immigration: Key Issues in Immigration Debates and Prospects for Reform Presented by Judith Gans Immigration Policy Project Director judygans@email.arizona.edu Udall Center Immigration Program
More informationRecent trade liberalization efforts, including the North American Free Trade Agreement
Industries important in nonmetro areas, such as agriculture, food processing, and tobacco products, have benefited from increasingly open markets and increased exports. However, the textile and apparel
More informationImmigrants are playing an increasingly
Trends in the Low-Wage Immigrant Labor Force, 2000 2005 THE URBAN INSTITUTE March 2007 Randy Capps, Karina Fortuny The Urban Institute Immigrants are playing an increasingly important role in the U.S.
More informationSurvey Evidence on Legal and Illegal Hispanic Immigrants Perceptions of Living and Working in US Agriculture
AgBioForum, 18(3): 259-265. 2015 AgBioForum. Survey Evidence on Legal and Illegal Hispanic Immigrants Perceptions of Living and Working in US Agriculture Gregory Colson, Grace Melo, and Octavio A. Ramirez
More informationLatino Workers in the Ongoing Recession: 2007 to 2008
Report December 15, 2008 Latino Workers in the Ongoing Recession: 2007 to 2008 Rakesh Kochhar Associate Director for Research, Pew Hispanic Center The Pew Hispanic Center is a nonpartisan research organization
More informationBackgrounder. This report finds that immigrants have been hit somewhat harder by the current recession than have nativeborn
Backgrounder Center for Immigration Studies May 2009 Trends in Immigrant and Native Employment By Steven A. Camarota and Karen Jensenius This report finds that immigrants have been hit somewhat harder
More informationFARMWORKERS IN MEXICO AGUSTÍN ESCOBAR OMAR STABRIDIS
FARMWORKERS IN MEXICO AGUSTÍN ESCOBAR OMAR STABRIDIS Mexican farm workers play a central role in the production of fruits and vegetables for the U.S. market in both countries. Recently,Taylor, Charlton
More informationImmigration and Farm Labor: Policy Options and Consequences
Immigration and Farm Labor: Policy Options and Consequences Philip Martin: plmartin@ucdavis.edu http://migration.ucdavis.edu April 26, 2012 3 Themes About 2.4 million workers fill an average 1.2 million
More informationThe Economic Impact of Migrant, Seasonal, and H-2A Farmworkers on the Virginia Economy Paul Trupo Jeffrey Alwang David Lamie
The Economic Impact of Migrant, Seasonal, and H-2A Farmworkers on the Virginia Economy Paul Trupo Jeffrey Alwang David Lamie Paul Trupo is former Research Associate; Jeffrey Alwang and R. David Lamie are
More informationSTATEMENT OF PATRICIA A. BUCKLEY, PH.D. SENIOR ECONOMIC ADVISOR U.S
STATEMENT OF PATRICIA A. BUCKLEY, PH.D. SENIOR ECONOMIC ADVISOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BEFORE THE HOUSE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION, CITIZENSHIP, REFUGEES, BORDER SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL
More informationPROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT
Amendment 1 of 12 Amendment 1 First of two proposed bylaw amendments to remove provisions for automatic dues adjustment Amend ARTICLE IV (DUES) SECTION 41 (Dues for Regular Members) by striking out, subject
More informationIOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY Immigration in the U.S. Midwest during the 1990s: A Decade of Rapid Change Wallace Huffman December 2003 Working Paper # 03027 Department of Economics Working Papers Series Ames,
More informationLATINOS IN AMERICA: A Demographic Profile
April 2012 LATINOS IN AMERICA: A Demographic Profile Latinos in the United States are a diverse and fast-growing group that is amassing considerable economic and political power. As data from the 2010
More informationTable 1. Nepal: Monthly Data for Key Macroeconomic Indicators.
Table 1. : Monthly Data for Key Macroeconomic Indicators. 1 1 Year-on-year change, in percent Oct Nov Dec FY to date Oct Nov Dec FY to date Oct Nov Dec FY to date ( months) ( months) ( months) Inflation
More informationFarmworker Services in NYS
Farmworker Services in NYS Wisdom is the power to put our time and knowledge to the proper use. Thomas J. Watson NYS has several agencies that offer a host of services for farmworkers: Education Migrant
More informationCongressional Official Mail Costs
Matthew Eric Glassman Analyst on the Congress August 16, 2010 Congressional Research Service CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34188 Summary The
More informationLatinos in Saratoga County. Trudi Renwick Senior Economist Fiscal Policy Institute April 26, 2008
Latinos in Saratoga County Trudi Renwick Senior Economist Fiscal Policy Institute April 26, 2008 1 Fiscal Policy Institute set out to take a calm look at the real role of immigrants in New York Working
More informationThe Effects on U.S. Farm Workers of an Agricultural Guest Worker Program
The Effects on U.S. Farm Workers of an Agricultural Guest Worker Program Linda Levine Specialist in Labor Economics December 28, 2009 Congressional Research Service CRS Report for Congress Prepared for
More informationPOLICY Volume 5, Issue 8 October RETHINKING THE EFFECTS OF IMMIGRATION ON WAGES: New Data and Analysis from by Giovanni Peri, Ph.D.
IMMIGRATION IN FOCUS POLICY Volume 5, Issue 8 October 2006 RETHINKING THE EFFECTS OF IMMIGRATION ON WAGES: New Data and Analysis from 1990-2004 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY crucial question in the current debate
More informationJob Displacement Over the Business Cycle,
cepr CENTER FOR ECONOMIC AND POLICY RESEARCH Briefing Paper Job Displacement Over the Business Cycle, 1991-2001 John Schmitt 1 June 2004 CENTER FOR ECONOMIC AND POLICY RESEARCH 1611 CONNECTICUT AVE., NW,
More informationRecent Trends in Rural-based Meat Processing
Recent Trends in Rural-based Meat Processing William Kandel, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Presented at Immigration Reform: Implications for Farmers, Farm Workers, and Communities
More information11. Demographic Transition in Rural China:
11. Demographic Transition in Rural China: A field survey of five provinces Funing Zhong and Jing Xiang Introduction Rural urban migration and labour mobility are major drivers of China s recent economic
More informationMexican Migrant Labor and Southern Plains Labor: Compatible or Exclusive
Mexican Migrant Labor and Southern Plains Labor: Compatible or Exclusive Syed H. Jafri, Edward Osei, Seth Gaston 3, and Huang Ningyang 4 Professor, Economics, Tarleton State University, jafri@tarleton.edu
More informationRecent Trends in Immigration Enforcement
Recent Trends in Immigration Enforcement Mark Greenberg Senior Fellow, Migration Policy Institute Presentation for Community Action Partnership 218 Management & Leadership Training Conference January 1,
More informationUMKC CENTER FOR ECONOMIC INFORMATION. Economic and Fiscal Contributions of International Immigrants in the State of Kansas
UMKC CENTER FOR ECONOMIC INFORMATION Economic and Fiscal Contributions of International Immigrants in the State of Kansas Dr. Peter Eaton 1/10/2013 Acknowledgements The Greater Kansas City Hispanic Development
More informationALBERTA FEDERATION OF LABOUR
ALBERTA FEDERATION OF LABOUR POLICY PAPER MAY 2003 INTRODUCTION Every year in increasing numbers, thousands of migrant agricultural workers travel from Mexico and the Caribbean to work on Canadian farms
More informationThe H-2A Program: Current Dynamics and Future Changes
The H-2A Program: Current Dynamics and Future Changes 3 rd Annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference Feb 21, 2018, Apopka, FL Fritz Roka 1 Current Situation among Specialty Crop Growers Labor
More informationChanging Dynamics and. to the United States
Jeffrey S. Passel Pew Hispanic Center Changing Dynamics and Characteristics of Immigration to the United States International Symposium on International Migration and Development United Nations, Torino,
More informationDuring the early 1990s, recession
Employment Transitions in Oregon s Wood Products Sector During the 1990s Ted L. Helvoigt, Darius M. Adams, and Art L. Ayre ABSTRACT New data indicate that only 51 percent of workers displaced from the
More informationCharacteristics of the Ethnographic Sample of First- and Second-Generation Latin American Immigrants in the New York to Philadelphia Urban Corridor
Table 2.1 Characteristics of the Ethnographic Sample of First- and Second-Generation Latin American Immigrants in the New York to Philadelphia Urban Corridor Characteristic Females Males Total Region of
More informationFigure 1. Nepal: Recent Fiscal Developments
Figure 1. : Recent Fiscal Developments Strong revenue growth combined with subdued capital spending kept the budget in surplus the past years. Fiscal Performance Revenue Capital expenditure 1 Current expenditure
More informationPOLICY Volume 4, Issue 5 July NO WAY IN: U.S. Immigration Policy Leaves Few Legal Options for Mexican Workers. by Rob Paral*
IMMIGRATION IN FOCUS POLICY Volume 4, Issue 5 July 2005 NO WAY IN: U.S. Immigration Policy Leaves Few Legal Options for Mexican Workers EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Current immigration policies are completely out
More informationCHOICES The magazine of food, farm, and resource issues
CHOICES The magazine of food, farm, and resource issues Agricultural Labor Markets and Immigration By Robert D. Emerson JEL Classifications: J43, J61, J68 1st Quarter 2007 22(1) A publication of the American
More informationNew public charge rules issued by the Trump administration expand the list of programs that are considered
CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES December 2018 63% of Access Welfare Programs Compared to 35% of native households By Steven A. Camarota and Karen Zeigler New public charge rules issued by the Trump administration
More informationImmigration from Latin America
Immigration from Latin America Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 Replaced the national-origins quota system with a preference system that prioritized skills and family relationships with US citizens
More informationCHAPTER 18: ANTITRUST POLICY AND REGULATION
CHAPTER 18: ANTITRUST POLICY AND REGULATION The information in Chapter 18, while important, is only tested on the AP economics exam in the context of monopolies as discussed in Chapter 10. The important
More informationGone to Texas: Migration Vital to Growth in the Lone Star State. Pia Orrenius Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas June 27, 2018
Gone to Texas: Migration Vital to Growth in the Lone Star State Pia Orrenius Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas June 27, 2018 Roadmap History/Trends in migration to Texas Role in economic growth Domestic migration
More informationMarch 14, To Members of the Georgia Congressional Delegation,
March 14, 2017 U.S. House of Representatives/ U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20515 To Members of the Georgia Congressional Delegation, Our country and state have faced tremendous problems created by a broken
More informationUnemployment Rises Sharply Among Latino Immigrants in 2008
Report February 12, 2009 Unemployment Rises Sharply Among Latino Immigrants in 2008 Rakesh Kochhar Associate Director for Research, Pew Hispanic Center The Pew Hispanic Center is a nonpartisan research
More informationCLACLS. A Profile of Latino Citizenship in the United States: Demographic, Educational and Economic Trends between 1990 and 2013
CLACLS Center for Latin American, Caribbean & Latino Studies A Profile of Latino Citizenship in the United States: Demographic, Educational and Economic Trends between 1990 and 2013 Karen Okigbo Sociology
More informationVisa Bulletin VISA BULLETIN FOR OCTOBER Visa uiletin for October 2007 Page 1 of 5. Number 111. Volume VIII. Washington, D.C.
Volume VIII htm VISA BULLETIN FOR OCTOBER 2007 Washington, D.C. Number 111 Visa Bulletin http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bu lletin_3800. l?css=print 10/4/2007 Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals,
More informationThe Future of Inequality
The Future of Inequality As almost every economic policymaker is aware, the gap between the wages of educated and lesseducated workers has been growing since the early 1980s and that change has been both
More informationWritten Testimony of
Written Testimony of Dan Siciliano Executive Director, Program in Law, Economics, and Business Stanford Law School Senior Research Fellow, Immigration Policy Center American Immigration Law Foundation,
More informationHearing on Agricultural Labor: From H-2A to a Workable Agricultural Guestworker Program
Testimony of Mike Brown President, National Chicken Council On Behalf of the Food Manufacturers Immigration Coalition Before the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security
More informationElizabeth M. Grieco, Patricia de la Cruz, Rachel Cortes, and Luke Larsen Immigration Statistics Staff, Population Division U.S.
Who in the United States Sends and Receives Remittances? An Initial Analysis of the Monetary Transfers Data from the August 2008 CPS Migration Supplement 1 Elizabeth M. Grieco, Patricia de la Cruz, Rachel
More informationMeasuring Mexican Emigration to the United States Using the American Community Survey
Measuring Mexican Emigration to the United States Using the American Community Survey Eric Jensen and Matthew Spence Population Division U.S. Census Bureau International Forum on Migration Statistics January
More informationNew data from the Census Bureau show that the nation s immigrant population (legal and illegal), also
Backgrounder Center for Immigration Studies October 2011 A Record-Setting Decade of Immigration: 2000 to 2010 By Steven A. Camarota New data from the Census Bureau show that the nation s immigrant population
More informationThe H-2B Visa and the Statutory Cap: In Brief
Andorra Bruno Specialist in Immigration Policy December 11, 2015 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44306 Summary The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952, as amended, enumerates
More informationMonthly Census Bureau data show that the number of less-educated young Hispanic immigrants in the
Backgrounder Center for Immigration Studies July 2009 A Shifting Tide Recent Trends in the Illegal Immigrant Population By Steven A. Camarota and Karen Jensenius Monthly Census Bureau data show that the
More informationThe Triennial Comprehensive Report on Immigration
The Triennial Comprehensive Report on Immigration The Triennial Comprehensive Report on Immigration This page is intentionally left blank. Executive Summary Background In 1986, the Immigration Reform and
More informationCourthouse News Service
Case 708-tc-05000 Document 16 Filed 03/06/2008 Page 1 of 31 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA VALDOSTA DIVISION PABLO ARRIAGA-ZACARIAS; TILO SARRACINO-HERNANDEZ; FRANCISCO
More informationEnsuring Compliance When Hiring Foreign Nationals
Business Immigration Ensuring Compliance When Hiring Foreign Nationals Mabel Arroyo 615.726.7387 marroyo@bakerdonelson.com Robert M. Williams, Jr. 901.577.2215 rwilliams@bakerdonelson.com Overview Hiring
More information