FFVA URGES PASSAGE OF GUEST WORKER REFORM IN SENATE IMMIGRATION BILL

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 and rallies and marches unfurl across the country, 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."

A crowd estimated at about 10,000 plans to travel to Orlando today (May 1) as one of many nationwide events to demonstrate support for immigration reform. Advocacy groups such as the Farmworker Association of Florida and the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) are backing the Orlando event.

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS TAX HOLIDAY ANNOUNCED

Governor Jeb Bush signed legislation Thursday (April 27) authorizing Florida’s second annual 12-day sales tax holiday for hurricane preparedness. The Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is part of Governor Bush’s plan to instill a “culture of preparedness” in Florida.

Coinciding with National Hurricane Preparedness Week, the tax holiday begins on Saturday, May 21 and ends on the first day of the 2006 Hurricane Season, June 1. The 12-day holiday will save Floridians an estimated $41 million. Under the legislation, no state or local sales tax will be collected on hurricane preparedness items, including:

· Flashlights and portable, self-powered light sources – $20 or less
· Portable radios, two-way radios and weather-band radios – for $50 or less
· Flexible waterproof sheeting (tarps) – $50 or less
· Gas or diesel fuel containers – $25 or less
· Batteries – $30 or less
· Non-electrical food storage coolers – $30 or less
· Portable generators – $1,000 or less
· Carbon monoxide detectors – $75 or less
· Storm shutter devices – $200 or less
· Cell phone batteries – $60 or less

ALACHUA COUNTY SCHOOL TEACHER WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Cyanne Williams, a fourth grade teacher at Archer Community School near Gainesville, is one of five teachers nationwide to win the 2006 National Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture award from the USDA's National Agriculture in the Classroom consortium.

Williams, a teaching veteran of 32 years, won the award for the southern region after being nominated earlier this year as Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc.'s overall Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture award winner for 2006. She will be honored at the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference June 20-24 in Atlantic City, N.J.

PRODUCE FOR BETTER HEALTH HONORS FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

The Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) recently honored the Food Service Department at the School District of Palm Beach County, as well as the Florida Department of Health (DOH), with its Excellence Awards.

The Palm Beach School District was lauded for promoting the message that “the best desserts are Mother Nature’s desserts,” in a program that reached more than 2,000 people.

PBS honored DOH for its work with pre-schoolers to promote the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and for a CD it produced called Give Me 5 A Day!

The awards recognize organizations and individuals for their efforts to create a healthy environment with fruits and vegetables.