P.O. Box 948153
Maitland, FL 32794
www.ffva.com

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

CONTACT: FFVA: Ray Gilmer or Barbara Wunder 321-214-5200

FLORIDA FRUIT & VEGETABLE ASSOCIATION URGES PASSAGE OF GUEST WORKER REFORM IN SENATE IMMIGRATION BILL

Maitland, Fla. (April 25, 2005) - Florida growers face critical labor shortages if Congress fails to approve meaningful immigration legislation that includes reform of the current agricultural guest worker program. As the Senate resumes discussions on immigration reform this week, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) urges lawmakers to quickly pass legislation adopting the Hagel-Martinez compromise, which includes the AgJobs guest worker proposal.

FFVA has long advocated passage of legislation that would reform the current guest worker program for agriculture, making it more practical for farm employers. Such a program, known as AgJobs, is incorporated into the compromise language crafted by Sens. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.). The AgJobs proposal in the Hagel-Martinez package would streamline the agricultural guest worker program, which allows foreign workers to legally come to the United States for a limited time to be employed in agriculture.

"Florida producers are already seeing signs of a tight labor supply, and that could threaten our ability to harvest crops," said Tony DiMare, vice-president of DiMare Co. and chairman of FFVA. "I believe the situation will likely get worse through the remainder of our growing season. And the uncertainty about the future of federal immigration policy has farm employers speculating about the economic future of Florida agriculture, which is the state's second largest industry."

FFVA opposes the "enforcement only" approach contained in legislation passed in 2005 by the House of Representatives. The bill, HR 4437, would bolster immigration enforcement and penalties without incorporating an improved guest worker program.
"The House immigration bill would cripple Florida's fruit and vegetable industry in the first season," said Mike Stuart, FFVA president. "Reform of the agricultural guest worker program must accompany stricter immigration enforcement."

"FFVA thanks Sen. Martinez for his leadership in forging the Hagel-Martinez compromise legislation. If the Senate passes the bill, we hope that House members adopt that same spirit of cooperation in the Conference Committee," added DiMare.
FFVA is asking its grower members to contact lawmakers to voice their support for a balanced and practical immigration reform bill.

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, located in Maitland, is an agricultural trade organization representing Florida's producers of fruits, vegetables and other crops.

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