At least 40 percent of crop workers in the United States do not have legal immigration status. Americans typically aren’t willing to do backbreaking work in the fields, farmers say.
by diacewrb
At least 40 percent of crop workers in the United States do not have legal immigration status. Americans typically aren’t willing to do backbreaking work in the fields, farmers say.
by diacewrb
8 comments
Farmers aren’t incentivized to automate their processes because we have illegals who will do the work for nothing. Americans will do this work.
Prior to the massinve influx of latinos in the 1980s and 90’s teenagers did most of this work. They painted houses, mowed lawns, walked beans, detassled corn, etc.
It’s a lie to say the US would collapse without migrant labor
Not for the wage being offered.
It’s very disingenuous when analysts don’t mention the vast disparity in cost of living and regurgitate the “don’t want to” line. Americans can’t *afford* to do this work. Newsflash: although some farm workers choose to live in the U.S. permanently, most that I have known (and I worked in a business where I met and befriended plenty) plan to eventually take those wages back home (to a much lower cost of living nation) and improve the lives of themselves and their families. If/when they decide to stay? They move on higher paying jobs, too.
It simply doesn’t make economic sense *for anyone* to do that work and remain here, where the cost of living is high. Immigrants are the same as anyone else, they respond to incentives and act in their self-interest.
Notice how no one immigrates here from a HCOL country to do low paid work? Are they lazy, too? Of course not, it doesn’t make economic sense to do that, so they don’t.
People will do any dirty or backbreaking job if the pay is right and the benefits are good. Just look at all those oil and gas jobs.
Pay people a fair wage and stop importing low wage slave labor from 3rd world countries.
Doesn’t that mean 60% are US Citizens willing to do the same work?
I’m willing to do backbreaking work in the fields. Unfortunately, they aren’t offering competitive pay, so my labor goes to another industry.
Oh well. I support american workers. I do not support assholes farmers working these people no better then slaves. Send them home. Force farms to pay real wages. Farmers are not poor. Do not listen to the endless propaganda.
And this is surprising? Heck, even Trump had scores of illegal workers even in his personal homes where he met them on a daily basis. Nothing new American industry and the 10% love cheap labor.