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Lisa Lochridge
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FFVA STRONGLY SUPPORTS SENATE COMPROMISE ON IMMIGRATION

MAITLAND, Fla. (May 25, 2007) – The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association today called on the Senate to pass the compromise immigration reform bill drafted by a dozen senators from both sides of the aisle and announced on May 17.

“The good news is that Florida’s senators understand the importance of this issue,” said FFVA President Mike Stuart. “We applaud Sen. Mel Martinez for co-sponsoring the original AgJOBS bill, which has been incorporated into the compromise now under debate. He and Sen. Bill Nelson have shown courage and leadership in helping to move this issue forward. It’s time for their colleagues to do the same.”

The compromise measure is key to helping solve the agriculture industry’s critical labor needs, Stuart added. “This isn’t just an issue for Florida; it’s an issue for our nation. Congress must pass comprehensive immigration reform to ensure a sufficient legal workforce to plant and harvest America’s food supply,” he said.

Florida’s growers will benefit from provisions in the Senate bill that overhaul the H-2A guest worker visa program and allow workers who have made a substantial commitment to agriculture work in the United States to earn an adjustment to their legal status by meeting strict requirements. The earned-adjustment program will help growers train and retain experienced immigrant workers for jobs that Americans don’t want.

Without comprehensive immigration and guest worker reform, labor shortages will continue. “That means leaving fruit and vegetable crops in the fields,” Stuart said. “Consequently, production will shift offshore and we will become more dependent on foreign sources for our food supply.”

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (www.ffva.com) is an agricultural trade organization representing Florida's producers of fruits, vegetables and other crops.