States can’t find workers for harvest

Neither Washington state nor Alabama can find farmworkers.

Officials believe recent crackdowns on illegal immigration are scaring away the immigrants who would normally provide farm labor.

Some legislators are pushing for immigration reform, but are having little luck now at a time when most legislators are only concerned with budget issues.

A short term solution has been to hire inmates, but that of course is proving controversial.

From the Olympian:

The hard work might explain why we don’t see more state residents on unemployment taking advantage of the picker shortage. One orchardist told the Seattle Times that of the 149 people referred to him earlier in the season by the state’s unemployment office, half showed up on the first day, a quarter on the second day. But after weeks of picking, only five of the original 149 referrals were still up the ladders picking the apples.